Our Entwined Lives
by Lura Elsworth
Summary: She was quiet, with barely any friends to call her own; he was a host, the perfect student whom everyone looked up to. Somehow their paths crossed and entwined- and they found so much more, more than they could ever wish for. KyoyaXOC.
1. Chapter 1- Akino Eri

**So. I've written, deleted, and re-written so many anime fics that I've forgotten how many... but I still feel as if I can't really catch the feeling in English... (Chinese is much better)... anyway *shrugs*... ^_^**

**This fan fiction is- as you can see- about Ouran High School Host Club, and it's a KyoyaXOC story.**

**I don't think I'll be doing anything really exciting with this one (like cross-dressing, the girl mixing into the Host club, the girl is a commoner and fights with Kyoya everyday, or with one a dark and haunting past and et cetera et cetera, because, let's face it, there's a lot of those on this website). I'm doing a more realistic approach of this whole concept- of course, I'll be adding in my own fantasies here and there as well. But I guess you can say that this story will be more... peaceful (?) **

**I have bought and read the final manga and have watched the anime and I've decided to set the timeline of this story _after _the anime (because in all honesty, I don't really get the manga- seeing that I just read the first and last book XP) so here, Tamaki and Kyoya will be third years; Honey and Mori will still pop in from time to time; Haruhi and the twins will be in their second years; and the main character will be in her third year- just like Kyoya.**

**And there's always something I really want to clarify: The schools here in _Asia_, on the contrary to Western Countries, have only three years of High School! And we don't change classrooms (except for labs and PEs) the teacher changes every period and we don't have lockers, we carry our stuffs in our bags everyday (horrible right? You should've seen all those poor seven-year-old kids carrying bags half their size... ) Depending on which country you live, there'll be slight changes as to how you call the years in school but the normal for high school is THREE YEARS, not four!  
**

**Okay, I'm done rambling, thank you so much for your patience.**

**I hope you'll enjoy this~**

**PS: The only thing that is not so realistic in this story is that the main character's father owns diamond mines and THIS idea, came from A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. And I do NOT own Ouran High Scholl Host Club; the only thing that I own is my writing and my characters (not the diamond mine thing though, but it won't be mentioned so much in the story)**

* * *

Chapter 1- Akino Eri

Pale blue eyes gazed out at the scenery outside, ignoring the blabber that was growing around as time ticked pass. The owner of those quiet eyes was a slender girl with long locks of honey brown hair tied up with a simple white ribbon; she had a pleasant face, sweet, and though not the most beautiful, had a charm of its own. She had fair skin, with long eyelashes brushing against her cheeks.

If anyone ever asked about her, most people would answer, "Oh, _that _girl? She's the daughter of Akino Hiroto, the man who owns diamond mines."; and if asked about her personality, they would say, "She's quiet, doesn't have much friends- if any- and is very hardworking."

The fact was, no one knew much about her- not her interest, her preference, even her character. She read books, was never seen without one, and was one of those 'teacher's pets'. At the beginning of the school year, she had taken up the post as one of the librarians and since then, she disappeared from view more and more frequently.

She talked, of course, when necessary. And many couldn't help but lose themselves in her voice- a soothing voice with a very slight breathy undertone. She was polite, yet not overly-so. And as much as she was considered a 'loner', she had an undeniable presence in the class of 3-A. Some would say she was an 'acquaintance' but they would never call her a 'stranger'. She was always there when troubles arises, never stepping in, but something about her stance told them that she was supporting them in her own way. Indeed- she was not cold hearted by any means.

"Akino-san,"

Eri turned her head slightly to see one of her female classmate standing in front of her with curiosity burning in her eyes, "Yes?"

Her classmate fidgeted, "A-are you going to the host club's annual opening celebration later on? Everyone of us had agreed to go there together."

Eri blinked and involuntarily shifted her gaze to look at the two hosts that were seated just a few seats away from where she was. The girl followed her gaze and said, "Tamaki-san invited all of us earlier on before you came back to class and Kyoya-san had left invitations on our desks, so I was just wondering..." she paused, "Won't you come along, Akino-san? You never attended any of their meetings."

Invitation? Eri flipped the pages of her book and took out a lavender envelope, "This?" she muttered, tearing it open and slipping the paper out.

'Dear Princess,

You are cordially invited to join us in our 3rd Annual Opening Celebration. As a treat, today's hosting will be free of charge and will last for an extra of one and a half hours. You are welcome to bring your friends along.

I, Suoh Tamaki, King of the Host Club, humbly awaits your arrival.'

She gave the girl a slight smile, "Maybe I will, I don't have anymore duties in the library today. Thank you for asking, Hayashi-san."

Hayashi Mayu smiled tentatively back at her, "I'm glad you're considering, you always seemed so lonely."

Eri was silent for a moment before saying, "I am, sometimes," she admitted, but her admission sounded more like she was talking to herself.

* * *

She hesitated outside the door of the third music room as squeals and chatters came from the inside. Should she enter? She had to be honest- she _was_ a little curious about this club all the while but not enough to spend that large amount of money just to 'flirt' with the guys, of which two were her very own classmates. She rarely talked to guys, though she grew up with them (her cousins were all males and she was the only daughter). The only time when she interacted with Suoh Tamaki was on the second day he came to Ouran and had found the time to interact with the other students in his new class-

_"And who might you be, beautiful princess?" _

_He had asked her as he knelt on one knee beside her chair and held her hand in his large ones. His bright, alluring purple eyes burning deeply into hers._

_She had gently pulled her hand out of his grasp and bowed her head lightly, "I'm Akino Eri, it's nice to meet you, Suoh-san."_

_"Ah, such a beautiful name for a beautiful person! And I believe, that your heart is as beautiful and pure as well."_

That was all it took for her to grow uncomfortable, she recalled with a small frown. She disliked physical contacts, especially from male strangers.

As for Ootori Kyoya, they had actually spoken for a handful of times- since they had been classmates for almost six years. He was the cool and logical one among their weird combination of a dual, yet she was always envious of their friendship. It was not hard to see that Suoh had melted the unmoving heart of the Ootori and had broken down his barriers. In fact, he had seemed... happy since the Host Club started- to the delight of many girls.

Placing a hand on the handle, Eri quietly pushed the door open.

It was a grand sight to behold.

Since she had arrived just thirty minutes before they closed, no one greeted her at once and she felt out-of-place, wondering if she should just turn and leave. But she stopped as she took in the scene in front of her. Everyone was so glad and merry, so relaxed and carefree. For a moment, she wanted to be like that.

"Akino-san! You came!"

She recognised Hayashi Mayu's voice from across the room and at her cry, many heads turned towards the newcomer.

Mayu was at the table where the twins were doing their thing- Hitachiin Hikaru and Kaoru, if she remembered correctly. Their mother was a famous fashion designer and her very two aunts were faithful 'supporters' of hers.

The girl who caused all the unwanted attention to her came over with a huge smile lit up on her face, "I waited and thought you're not coming anymore!" she exclaimed.

Eri smiled her small smile, "I thought I could just check this out,"

"Ah, Akino-hime!"

At that moment, Suoh Tamaki interrupted them with his dramatic gesture, "I have been waiting for you to come for so many years," he said, bowing low before her, "I am humbled by you presence."

'He learned', she thought, noting the way he avoided holding her hand the way she had seen him do with the other girls. "I'm glad I came, Suoh-san," she said.

"So, dear princess, who do you want to request as your host?" He asked, "Many of the girls are leaving now and you can request anyone you want- even Mori and Honey-senpai that had come back just for this occasion."

Hayashi Mayu took it as her cue to slip back to where she sat and bid the twins goodbye before leaving the room with a backward glance at her 'queer' classmate and gave her an assuring nod of her head. 'I'll see you tomorrow,' she mouthed before closing the door behind her.

Eri surveyed the room, and noticed that her other classmate's table was almost empty, unlike the other hosts' which were all still half filled. She said, "I think I'll have Ootori-san."

Suoh Tamaki gave her another dazzling smile before bowing once more, "Of course, just go over to him. I hope you'll find this meeting enjoyable, Akino-hime."

Eri went over to her dark haired classmate and paused in her tracks as the girls from his table stood up and left. Now it was just him and her. She resumed her steps, this time slower, "Ootori-san," she called softly.

He turned and gave her a smile- the polite host one, she realised-, "Akino-san," he greeted, "I was not expecting you, please, have a seat," he said while pulling out a chair for her.

She placed a hand on the backrest of the chair, "I hope you won't mind me, Ootori-san, I was actually hoping to just observe how this club goes."

"Of course not," he said.

She eyed his open laptop as she sat down, he began typing, keeping her in the peripheral field of his vision. She looked around the room, seemingly interested at the working of this unique club. Her eyes darted over one host to the other, until it landed on a certain brown-haired one. Her brows furrowed, he seemed too feminine... perhaps- surely, it must be? But she kept her mouth shut.

The two of them did not talk for the rest of the fifteen minutes. This was actually what she wanted when she requested Ootori Kyoya. They had been classmates for so many years, and though they did not speak much, they knew each other just a bit more than mere acquaintances. They were both lovers of silence and to them, silence was more comfortable than talking. She knew he was the third son of the Ootori Corporation; he knew that she was the heiress of her fathers unnumbered inheritance, yet neither of them brought it up.

When the time came for the host club to end, she got up, and he stood along with her. Pushing up his glasses with his finger, he said, "I suppose this will be your one and only visit?"

Eri glanced at him and offered a smile, "I don't know. It seems so pleasant here, will you-" she paused, "Will you mind if I drop by now and then to watch all of you? Not to be entertained by anyone but be just an observer?"

He thought for a moment, "I don't see why not, honestly. I _do_ agree with you, though," he said, "Watching and observing is actually more pleasant than to entertain and be entertained. How often do you plan to stop by?" he asked, opening his black note book and flipped the pages to their meeting schedules. He jotted down a few notes at the side and snapped it shut, "And also, it would be greatly appreciated if you could give some comments and feedbacks after your visits, and in return, your visits here will not be charged."

Eri blinked, surprised that his suggestion but agreed nonetheless with a knowing smile, "A feedback from an outsider?" she laughed softly, "I will do it then. Thank you, Ootori-kun,"

And as she said that, both of them noticed the change in the suffix but neither mentioned it. In return, he gave her a bow and said, "Thank you again for coming, and for your future contribution to this club... Akino."

...

And that was how their paths started to intersect with each others.

* * *

**That's it for now! Man, my shoulder is aching after typing so many words in a wrong position (my fault, I know!) XD  
****I hope you enjoyed the first chapter just as much as I enjoyed making it up.**

**To be fair, I have to admit that this is a spontaneous story I decided to write- meaning, like my Narnia fan fiction, 'The One Who Held On', I have totally no plot, I don't know where this will lead to, nor do I know how it would end. But then, that's more fun don't you think? That you and I are at the same place where we don't know where this'll lead us... ^_^**

**Please leave a comment~ (Just so that I know that people are reading and enjoying this story and that I'm not writing a story no one wants to read)**

**~Lura.**


	2. Chapter 2- The Dream

**Wow! I never thought that I would get so many reviews, favourites, and follows just for my first chapter! Thank you all so much! **

**Here's the second chapter~ **

**Hope you'll enjoy it. ^_^**

**I do not own Ouran; Eri, however, is fully mine.**

* * *

Chapter 2- The Dream

The halls seemed desolate as Eri left the third music room and the echoes of her footsteps was unnervingly eerie. Hugging her books closer to her chest, she quickened her pace, eager to leave. Softly, she began to hum, the beautiful tune of 'Amazing Grace'; and as she hum, her heart calmed and her steps eased into a comfortable speed.

This was one of the things not many knew she did: singing. It was her passion. She loved to sing, to hear her the echoes of her own voice. She sang when she was happy, when she was depressed, when she was hurt, even when she felt angry. Her father had offered to hire a vocal teacher for her but she said no- not yet. For now, it was a pure interest, something to calm her down and to make herself forget her problems just for a while. Maybe- just maybe she would consider professional training one day, but as for now, she just wanted to enjoy it.

A silver white mercedes honked twice when she arrived at the school gates. Eri looked up and her pale blue eyes widened. Hurrying over to the car, she got into the front passenger seat with a small but surprised smile on her face, "What are you doing here, Minori-nii san?"

The young men- perhaps about twenty two- gazed at her with a soft smile gracing his lips answered, "I was free and so I came. After all, nothing's wrong with wanting to pick up my dear little cousin from school, right?"

Eri laughed as she buckled up, "And father allowed you to leave your work?"

"Not really," he admitted with a sheepish smile, "I sneaked out."

"You what?"

"Come on, Eri," Hatano Minori said, "you know what it's like to be cooped up in an office twenty four hours a day with no break, and with a boss who's overseas at the moment, why not?"

She quietened and thoughtfully, she asked, "Where is father now?"

Her father, Akino Hiroto, was a busy man. Yes, he loved his family and never forced his will on them like all the others but he was rarely home. Sometimes, his location changes so much that they had trouble trying to keep track on him- so much so that Eri had given up trying. Her mother was no better. Akino Mari was a world renowned piano virtuoso and her performance brought her around the world.

But this was common for all of them from Ouran.

They were always flooded with gifts, but barely met the givers.

Their lives were written in plain black and white from the day they were born into this world- each with their own roles to play in their respective families- some just more blessed than the others.

"Minori-nii san,"

"Yes?"

Eri turned her face to look at him, "What is it like? Working under my father."

Minori pressed his lips in contemplation, "Well, in a way, I suppose it's better than working for some other corporations- with me being his eldest nephew and all- but quite honestly, you get bored after some time; now and then the pressure builds up and you'll feel like you're about to break but you can't quit. At times you'll feel suffocated and stuck but-" his frame relaxed, "At times when you see the results of your hard work, you'll feel that every effort you put in is worth it."

"You like your work really much, don't you?" she asked it more like a statement than a question. She saw the look in his eyes.

"Yes. Yes, I do."

Eri leaned back into her seat and let out a soundless sigh. Maybe- just maybe, she should-

No. She can't. She dared not even think about it.

* * *

_(Two days later)_

"Akino-san,"

Somehow without her knowing, Hayashi Mayu had struck up a strange but pleasant friendship with her since their first real conversation a couple of days ago. Their topic did not dwell deeper than the surface conversations and they never mentioned anything personal- but it was there- the invisibly thin bond that sometimes binds two persons together. It may be of a surprise however, that sometimes, these bonds were the strongest of all.

Eri looked up from her book and offered her a small smile, "Yes?"

Hayashi Mayu sat down in front of her, "Are you coming to the host club today?"

Eri noticed Ootori Kyoya looking their way as if he heard their hushed conversation. Deep, dark eyes met hers for a second and he nodded his head in acknowledgement. She gave a shy smile in return before turning replying, "Is there anything special going on today?"

"Cosplay."

"What cosplay?"

"They'll be dressing up to the theme of the medieval times." Mayu explained, adding, "You'll love it, I think." Seeing how her new friend always buried herself in classics.

"But I have librarian duties today," Eri told her slowly.

"When will you finish?"

"Around three-thirty?"

"The host club is open until four-thrity," Mayu said, not at all put off.

With a resigned smile, Eri complied, "Okay then. I'll be there."

Watching as Mayu went back to her seat just in time for their language teacher to come in, Eri absent-mindedly tucked away her novel and opened her notebook to a blank page. The teacher began the lesson by returning them the essay they had been assigned to write last week and as she gave Eri hers back, Mrs Haraguchi smiled encouragingly down at her, "A very well written point you have there, Miss Akino, keep up the good work."

Eri thanked her and gazed at her own neat cursive handwriting.

It wasn't much, really. It was just a simple topic title, 'Freedom'; and the main sentence she had written was-

'_True freedom is not being able to do what you want to do but to be able to say no to what you want to do._'

It was one of her main beliefs: To be able to say no when you know what you want to do is wrong. True freedom is being free from wrongs, it is being free from the bondages of sin. Freedom is not meant for you to do whatever you want no matter right or wrong- sadly, many believed so.

The corners of her lips lifted into a rueful smile. Maybe she should consider doing philosophy? How shocked would her parents be!

The library of Ouran High School was not a quiet place.

No matter how many times she came, she still felt annoyingly irritated. Why come to the library when all they wanted to do was gossip and giggle? So every time, Eri would go to the far end of the room where rows and rows of shelves separated her from the crowd and there, she would sit on the floor and sort out the returned books- which weren't many if you were wondering.

When she placed the last of the books back to its original shelves, she signed out and glanced at the clock. Three-thrty five.

She was ten minutes later than the time she had told Mayu when she arrived at the third music room and Mayu was already seated with the twins and was looking around the room in an impatient sort of manner.

When she spotted her, Mayu waved and motioned her over. At this, the twins turned around and exchanged a look before appearing before her. "You must be the special observer Kyoya-senpai told us," said the one on the right.

"Beautiful princess, may we have the honour of being your knight and accompany you for this shamefully short hour?" said the other.

Eri took a step back at their nearness, flinching unnoticeably.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, go back to your guests,"

To her utmost relief, Kyoya's voice sounded behind her. The twins dropped their act and gave their senior a bored look, "Kyoya-senpai," they said in unison, "why are you the only one without guests today? That's _so_ unfair!"

Kyoya pushed his glasses up as its lenses gleamed, "If you're the one handling the club's budget you'll be as _free_ as me," he said, emphasising the word darkly.

The twins shrunk back and stammered,"Uh- no thanks!" and disappeared.

Kyoya sighed and turned to face her, "Sorry about them, they just don't listen even when Tamaki and myself told them to leave you alone."

"It's alright," she assured him softly as she followed him to his empty corner by the window. "Do you know which one is which?" she asked him after a second thought.

Kyoya paused in his tracks, "The twins? No. But if you really want to know, ask Fujioka Haruhi. He'll tell you."

"He?"

At her involuntary murmur, Kyoya turned once again, this time to stare at her with a sharp but knowing look in his eyes, "Pardon me?"

Eri looked towards the brown haired student in the middle of the room, dressed up like a medieval knight, and said, "Fujioka Haruhi is a girl."

"And?" Kyoya pressed, "How did you know?"

Eri shrugged as they sat down at the small round table, "It's quite obvious if you really take time to look at her. She's too feminine to be a guy."

"Impressive," Kyoya commented, "In fact, you're the first one to realise that _he_ is a girl. Even Tamaki did not realise till the end- that idiot."

They fell, once again, into a comfortable silence after that- with him typing away, and she reading her book, only lifting her head now and then to smile at the scene around her.

But twenty minutes later, her mind stopped processing the words she read and with a frustrated sigh, she closed it and stared out blankly at the window.

The dream she had worked so hard to ignore resurfaced to the front of her mind. The dream- or rather, the memory of her seventh birthday- she had two night ago-

_"Is this a diamond, Papa? A real one?" She had asked her father when she opened her present. With child-like awe, she had been excited at the bright and smoothly polished stone in her hands, "You are giving this to me, really?"_

_Her father had brought her up to sit on his lap, "Yes, my dear girl, it is for you. And one day, my child, you will have so much more."_

_..._

_"Everything I own, every diamond in this world, will one day belong to you, Eri."_

_..._

_"One day, it will all be yours."_

Being a child, she had no idea what her father meant and by and by, she had forgotten that conversation all together.

She did not know why, but that very conversation now made her more uncomfortable as ever. Somehow, it did not sound right for her...

...

_"One day, it will all be yours."_

* * *

**That's it for now~ **

**I believe all of you understand what she was feeling right? **

**Feel free to leave a comment- or rather, _please_ leave one!**

**~Lura ^_^**

**PS: I've told some of you about this already through PMs but this story will not be updated as often as I would've wished for it to be. You see, I have a college admission deadline to meet and I still have a lot to do! But be assured that I would at least do one chapter every month... okay, I know, that's not assuring at all...**


	3. Chapter 3- First Interactions

Chapter 3- First Interactions

Eri was never good at socialising.

Being the only daughter of parents who were rarely home in a house filled with servants and maids, it was only natural that she kept mostly to herself. Reading brought her out of this world; and reading made her thoughts and actions sometimes more matured than any other person her age. And it was because of this side of her personality that troubled her greatly when the teacher told them to pair up two by two to write a report on 'The Age of Modern Science and How the World would be like in Ten Years'.

She stared at the science teacher with an unreadable expression as he continued to rant, telling them what he expected in their finished work.

"-and the marks you receive from this report will occupy ten percent of the total score of your mid-term science paper."

Many groaned at this.

"So I want all of you to do your best and work together. If one fails, the other fails along with his or her partner."

Eri lowered her eyes and sighed. All around her, her classmates started to discuss and began to form pairs of two. To her right, she heard Suoh Tamaki saying to Ootori Kyoya, "Mon ami, let's do this exciting report together! Ah, images of the world ten years from now are overflowing my mind, the beautiful, beautiful things that will happen- and Haruhi and I will live in the middle of that Glorious Age and be the King and Queen- no! I will gladly be at her feet as her servant-"

Ootori Kyoya readjusted his gleaming glasses as he calmly said, "While I admire you for your imaginations, why don't you try to be a little more realistic? By the way, Haruhi would kill you if she heard what you said." he added the second part as an afterthought. Eri gazed thoughtfully at the blond-haired energetic young man. At times, she really did not understand his out-of-the-world behaviour. And... Haruhi? As in Fujioka Haruhi?

Someone tapped her shoulder.

"Ano...Akino-san?"

Eri looked up and pale blue eyes met a pair of dark brown ones. The girl in front of her was slightly shorter than average and had long black hair that curled naturally. "Anything I can help you with, Kuroda-san?"

Kuroda Saki hesitated nervously before blurting out, "Can I be your partner?"

Eri was a little surprised at this. Kuroda Saki, for as long as she knew her (which was two years), had been a loner. A true loner. Unlike Eri who still held conversations with other people, she was completely alone- in the background. Kuroda Saki was someone who was easily ignored and forgotten, and the girl herself seemed to like it that way. Among all the people Eri had worked with (which changes every time, depending on who approached her first- or rather, had no one else to pick from), Kuroda was never one of them. Most of the time, this classmate was left out and at the end, an unwilling classmate would be forced to work with her.

In the world, there were two definitions of the word 'loner'. One who chose and preferred to be alone; and one who was _just alone. _

"Sure," Eri replied, smiling slightly at her relieved expression.

"Thank you so much, Akino-san." Saki said, a small smile finding its way onto her face. Her smile was pleasant, Eri noted silently.

"So when do you wish to start?" Eri asked, "Do you want to do this report together? or would you prefer that we split the topic and work individually _then _combine it?" Personally, she'd like the latter.

"Individually," Apparently, Kuroda thought the same. Truthfully, it was expected.

Eri drew a circle around the topic she had written on her blank page and asked,"Which part of the topic do you want then?"

"The Modern Age of Science,"

At this, Eri could not help but look up suspiciously. Kuroda Saki seemed to have known what she wanted beforehand- which was a contrary from what she had heard from the others. But then-

"I'll take the The World in Ten Years then," she said decidedly, "I hope we'll enjoy working together, Kuroda-san."

"I hope so too."

* * *

Lunch in the cafeteria was always interesting for Eri. Observing people was one of the things she would do when she was in a crowd. And also, the food was heavenly- one of the best things she liked about Ouran.

Her table was in a corner of the room and from where she sat, the whole cafeteria was in her view. The Host Club sat diagonally a few tables away, right at the centre where everyone could undoubtedly see them. Most of the time it would be Suoh Tamaki, Ootori Kyoya and the twins; but once in a while, Fujioka Haruhi would join them as well. She remembered the two seniors who had graduated last year- Morinozuka-senpai and Haninozuka-senpai. When they graduated, she was actually disappointed. They were her favourite people to watch. She loved the way they interacted- with the stoic dark-haired senior taking care of his childish cousin. Eri was certain though, that the seemingly naive senior was not as harmless and blithe as he had appeared to be. No one ever was if they wanted to survive in this world they were in- a world where the weakest would be mercilessly eliminated.

Fujioka Haruhi was here today, seated by Suoh Tamaki who looked like he was fawning over her. How had she not notice before- that when he was with the girl, his eyes would light up and his smile would widen? A smile ghosted her lips. A couple? Eri mused.

Out of nowhere, Eri wondered if her new friend had reached US safely. Hayashi Mayu had told her last week that her father was bringing their whole family abroad for a month. She had said, "Daddy thinks it's a good time for us to have a little holiday while he's there on a business trip."

It was then that Eri knew that Mayu's family was a close knit one. And deep down, somewhere inside her, she felt a tinge of jealousy. But even more so, she wished that Mayu realised what a precious gift she had.

Finishing her meal, Eri rose and made her way towards the library. Her routine was boring but she liked it.

Pulling out a book from the shelf, she walked over to the floor-length glass window and sat down in the floor beside it. Rays of gentle sunlight flowed in, washing over her- a faint halo around her peaceful form.

When Ootori Kyoya came in search for her, that was what he saw.

She really was different, this classmate of his. While all the other girls in Ouran gossiped and swooned over guys, she rarely did. And, how many girls in Ouran would be caught sitting on the floor? Not that there was something against that very act.

He went over and sat down a few feet away from her, then opened his notebook and started working on the new budget of the club. It was the first time he had ever been to the library, having no reason to come all the while. And even during this short while he was here, he understood her need to be away from the tables- it was irritatingly noisy. He would have to speak to the chairman about it.

Eri finally closed her book and rubbed her eyes before she felt another presence beside her. She blinked as she saw who it was beside her. Had he been here the whole time?

Sensing her gaze, Ootori Kyoya turned his head slightly, "I see you've finally noticed me."

Her lips twitched at his monotonous- but smooth tenor voice, "I'm sorry, when I read, I always get carried away," she said, "Did you come looking for me?" She knew he was not someone who would come to the library, ever.

Kyoya handed her a sheet of paper and she read through it, realising that it was the guideline she had asked from him a few days ago on what he would like to hear from her on her opinion about the club. "You're really serious about the club, aren't you, Ootori-kun?"

He leaned back against the window, "Of course. And since it's the last year, Tamaki wanted everything to be 'perfect'- though most of the hard work falls on me and not him."

She followed suit, relishing in the feeling of the warm glass pane against her back, "What happens when you graduate?"

Kyoya thought for a while, "It will still be fine next year, with the twins and Haruhi still around, and after that, either someone else continues the club or it will just close down."

"You have someone in mind?"

He smirked, "I do."

"May I know who?"

"Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai's younger brothers."

Eri felt herself smiling, "Somehow, I have a feeling that you won't even have to lure them in," they would just fall in to your trap by themselves.

He chuckled, "You know me too well." She really did, after all, she was not his classmate for six years for nothing. He tried to recall the first time they met. The memory was a little blur and vague but he could still remember their first conversation-

_It was the end of the first day of the beginning of their school life in Ouran Middle School and most of the students had already left the classroom. _

_Ootori Kyoya remained where he was seating, in no haste of leaving. He had noticed that he was not the only one left in the classroom- that there was another presence in the corner by the window._

She really loves windows- he thought, highly amused.

_Turning his head, he saw a girl, so engrossed in the book in her hand that he wondered if she had even noticed the bell had rung. It was quite possible because the teachers rarely taught on the first day and had given them freedom to do whatever they wanted to- as long as they stayed in class. He observed the girl and matched her face to one of the names he had memorised and researched upon beforehand at home._

_Akino Eri, the daughter of Akino Hiroto and Akino Mari and the sole heiress of the Akino Corporation. Their fathers had a little business __relationship but nothing more than that. There was little benefit they could get from each other, he had concluded._

_"Class is over, Akino-san," But as a classmate, and a class president, it was his duty to inform her._

_She had been startled by his sudden voice and her wide eyes met his. Her gaze swept through the classroom swiftly and began clearing her desk without a second word. It confirmed his suspicion then: she was not aware of the bell._

_In seconds she had her things cleared and she stood. Moving towards the door, she paused and offered him a grateful smile, "Thank you."_

_That was their first, extremely short interaction. _

The bell rang and both of them got up. "Will you be there today?" he asked her as they began walking back to class together.

"Unfortunately no," she told him, "But I'll be there tomorrow."

He nodded in understanding and they separated ways as they entered the class room. Eri laughed silently when she heard Tamaki's over-dramatic cry-

"Oh, mon ami! Where did you run off to after lunch? I was so worried! Why did you ditch me, mommy?!"

Ootori Kyoya's cold eyes shot towards his idiot of a friend-

"Shut up."

* * *

**The third chapter is up! **

**When I'm writing this, I'm really trying hard to keep Kyoya's calculating side and I hope I did fine. **

**Thank you for your patience and for all your reviews! **

**I'm currently in the midst of an exam (which lasts for a month! *groans*)... XD**

**Please tell me what you think about Kuroda Saki and what her role you think she'll be playing in this story. **

**PS: A Happy Mother's Day to all mothers out there! **

**Have a nice day,**

**~Lura ^_^**


	4. Chapter 4- How Long

Chapter 4- How Long

"You're going to spoil your eyes, reading like that."

Hatano Minori looked at his younger cousin with a soft smile on his face. Across the room from where he sat, doing his paperwork, the girl was spread out on the leather couch holding a book above her face. She turned her face slightly and blinked, "But I always read like this," she said, before shifting her attention back to the book in hand.

He shook his head and chuckled silently. Sometimes his little cousin seemed so... normal- not acting like a heiress she was supposed to be, but more like a commoner. But that was her charm- and he loved her for it. He never could fathom how she did it though, being given everything she wanted, things she did not even asked for- and not act all spoiled and 'high-and-mighty' as so many others became. Maybe it was just her, and her personality.

"What are you reading?" he asked a few moments later, when he decided he was done for the day. He stacked and cleared his table- not trusting anyone but himself to do the job, and picked up his jacket. He walked over to where she was lying and sat down beside her. "'The Future of Japan'?" he read the title a little skeptically, "Eri, when were you interested in this type of books?"

Eri lowered the book to give him a look, "I never was and never _will_ be interested in _this_ type of books. If not for the report the teacher asked us to do, you think I would be wasting my time reading _this_? Believe me, I have so many other things I prefer to be doing."

He reached over and ruffled her hair, "Okay, okay, Eri-hime. Calm down, you're literally spitting fire from your eyes."

She narrowed her eyes solemnly, "I _am_ calm."

He laughed, "Sure, whatever you say." Standing up, he said, "Want to go somewhere to grab a dinner? I'm sure the cook would appreciate a break."

She thought for a moment before closing the book, "Where are we going?"

His eyes twinkled with a rare youthful spark which only appeared when they were alone-

"You'll see."

* * *

Pale blue curious eyes swept across the interior of the restaurant swiftly before landing on the young man before them. Eri's browns furrowed as she said, "I don't know this place. Where are we?"

Minori looked up from the menu in his hands and replied, "This used to be a motel but you father's friend bought it over one year ago and he turned it into 'this'" he motioned around them, "and has just started business since last month." He paused, then pushed the menu over to her, "Want to try this? I heard that it's one of the signature dish of this restaurant."

"Snails?" Eri wrinkled her nose in distaste, "No, thanks."

"Come on, Eri, it's called Escargot and it's quite delicious."

"No way I'm going to eat that." Eri said with a tone of finality, "And don't you dare eat it in front of me either."

"And if I did?"

Her face was deadly serious when she said, "Then I'll ask papa to dump another whole lot of work on you."

"Whatever," Minori shrugged, seemingly more amused than threatened. Raising his hand to beckon the waiter, he raised a challenging brow at her.

"Minori nii-san! You really are-" she suddenly stopped mid-sentence, her eyes fixed upon a spot at the opposite end of the restaurant. Puzzled, Minori followed her line of sight just in time to see a couple walking into the restaurant through the glass doors. The young man had a mob of golden hair and features that were obviously western; the brown-haired young woman seemed to be a little self-conscious as she entered.

"Do you know them?"

Minori's voice brought her out of her daze and she blinked a few times before his question registered into her mind. "The guy is my classmate and the girl is a mere acquaintance." It wasn't surprising to see Suoh Tamaki at this French restaurant, what _was_ a surprise even though she knew it was Fujioka Haruhi that was beside him. She looked so different than she did when she was in a male's uniform in school and Eri had definitely not expected her suspicions of them being a couple be so quickly and certainly answered.

"Are you going over to say hi?" Minori asked her after placing his order and seeing her still wearing a thoughtful expression on her face.

"No, it's okay," After all, Suoh Tamaki and herself weren't even close. It would be terribly awkward if she just went over and also, she didn't know the reason behind Fujioka Haruhi's cross-dressing and had never thought of asking Kyoya for the reason, so, she had concluded, it would be for the good of all of them if she pretended she never saw them.

In the end, Minori had ordered _steak au poivre_ (steak with black pepper)for himself and _pot au feu_ (beef stew with mixed vegetables)for Eri. To be honest, she liked it better than sushi. As for desserts, they had _profiteroles _or cream puffs as you call it. It was an enjoyable meal and Minori made a mental note to bring his cousin here more often, seeing her satisfied expression. Eri, while she really enjoyed her own meal, could not help but wonder if Fujioka Haruhi enjoyed hers as well because, you see- she saw Suoh ordering Escargot, the one with the snails.

When they were leaving, Eri sneaked a glance at her classmate's table and bit back a smile. Apparently, Fujioka Haruhi had piled all the snails in her date's plate and was happily eating her fruit tarts. They looked so perfect together.

Just then, the younger girl's eyes unknowingly met hers and the both of them were stunned for a moment.

Then Eri lifted the corners of her lips into a smile and nodded slightly in greeting to her; the other girl, relieved at the kind smile the senior gave, offered one of her own. Eri exited the restaurant in time to see her dismissing Suoh Tamaki who was asking her who she was giving her 'precious, beautiful' smile to.

They really were perfect for one another.

* * *

That night, as Eri laid in bed thinking about her day, her phone rang.

Picking it up, she smiled when she saw that it was her mother, "Hi, marmee,"

Akino Mari's face, even though her daughter could not see her, softened into a motherly expression, "How have you been, Eri? Are you eating well? Are the servants taking care of you? Is Minori doing his job?"

"I'm fine, marmee," Eri said, "Don't worry so much about me. Minori nii-san brought me out for dinner today and we had a french meal. I watched your concert on television, where are you going next?"

Perhaps it was because of the distance, the conversation between this pair of mother and daughter had always been precise and straight to the point. And Akino Mari herself was always busy, her phone calls usually did not last for more than fifteen minutes. And it wasn't that she did not want it to be longer, it was just sometimes, she could find nothing to say. It always caused her heartache when she was reminded again and again that she could not even hold a normal conversation with her own daughter. Living so far away, she sometimes felt as if she never really knew her- which was true in many ways. Oh, the longing she had felt every time when she saw mothers shopping with their children, walking hand in hand along the streets. She never had that with her own daughter. She barely even meet with her own husband!

But this was life for them. It was an aspect of their life that the commoners failed to see.

When Eri hang up the phone, she stared at the small mobile for a long time. Emptiness made its presence known once again in her heart and took residence there. How long, would her life be like this? How long, would she need to make an appointment even to meet her own parents?

How long?

...

At the end of the day, she was just a child. A child with a simple wish to live a normal life- be it just for a day- with her parents without worrying about appointments and contracts.

Was this wish too much for one to ask for?

* * *

"What's wrong, Haruhi?"

Fujioka Haruhi gazed at her 'secret' boyfriend for a while before asking, "Senpai, what do you know about the special guest that's always sitting with Kyoya senpai?"

She, along with all the other hosts had noticed the girl since the first time she came into the third music room. It was a huge surprise for all of them when they found out that the girl was Tamaki's and Kyoya's classmate all these while and had never visited the club- a really rare thing, considering all the girls in Ouran had visited this club some time or the other. And what really stupefied them was when Kyoya informed them that from now on, she would be attending their hosting sessions as an observer free of charge. And if you knew Kyoya like all of them did, he did not do anything for free. It was a relief when they knew that he _did _ask something from her in return.

She had observed this senior who had been to the club a couple of times since. She was a quiet girl who was always watching them with a gentle smile on her face. Though sometimes, she could feel the forlornness that was in those smile. She had kept to herself, only talking to Kyoya when he had no guests. Quite honestly, Haruhi could not come up with an explanation of why she acted the way she was acting.

Tamaki seemed startled at her question but upon seeing the seriousness in her face, he answered, "What do you want to know about?"

"Well, she's always watching us. but she never joins us. She talks to Kyoya senpai, but she avoids talking to the rest of us."

"She's different from the others, I guess," Tamaki told her after a moment of thought, "She's a little like Kyoya, in a way- that she's not really happy about the way she's living. Both of them had been lonely, but unlike Kyoya who had found all of us, she has no one."

"Then why doesn't she try to socialise with someone else?"

"Haruhi," Tamaki interrupted her gently, "In our world, we never know if someone is being genuine or if that someone is just trying to receive benefits out of us. We never know if the one we're talking to may decide to betray us tomorrow. This is a cruel and cold world, and we're blessed that we have the host club- a club where everyone of us treats each other like family."

"She knows I'm a girl."

"What?" Tamaki's eyes widened for a second before he smiled, "Then," he concluded, "she really _is _special."

Haruhi smiled.

* * *

**Here it is, the fourth chapter! ^_^**

**This week had been hectic for me- with five papers to do and three more the next week. One of these days my head is really going to explode with all the informations I've stuffed in there. **

**As you can see, I'm trying to take this ****story (and the relationship) slow. As for all the French food up there, thank wikipedia for that. XD I felt so hungry when I was reading through the list of french food. (though, the Escargot really did not seem that appetising to me) and as for the appearance of Tamaki and Haruhi, I was surprised myself too. I mean, I've never considered letting them meet but when I was writing about the restaurant, and that it was french, the thought to let them make an entrance just struck me. Sadly, no Kyoya for this chapter. I felt like I had been giving him too much attention for my previous three. He will appear in the next though.**

**So how do you feel about a wise and serious Tamaki? Well, he's grown older now so this is to be expected, right? (I like him better when he's serious, anyway) But of course, he will be a little crazy now and then- Tamaki wouldn't be Tamaki without his silly craziness. **

**Thank you for all your reviews, follows, and favourites! Those are the very things that motivates me to write faster. **

**I do not own Ouran High School Host Club; Eri and the other original characters are mine and mine only.**

**Tell me what you think~**

**~Lura ^_^**


	5. Chapter 5- Fujioka Haruhi

Chapter 5- Fujioka Haruhi

"...we went to Disneyland after that- it was amazing! Daddy even managed to take a half-day off from work and came with us. I never knew that my parents were die-hard fans of roller-coasters- I didn't try that though, it's too exciting for me." the talker paused for a breath, "So, did anything interesting happen these few days while I'm away?"

A fond smile lingered on her lips as Eri listened to her friend retelling her holiday, "I'm glad you're having fun, Hayashi-san. Remember to let me see the photos you've taken, I'll be looking forward to it. And to answer your question, no. Nothing interesting happened but our Science teacher gave us a report to do- said it takes up ten percent of our mid-term science paper."

Hayashi Mayu groaned, "Not again! And while I'm away too!"

"He'll let you make it up when you're back, don't worry." Eri comforted, "The only thing is that you'll have to complete the whole report by yourself."

"What?!" Eri winced and pulled the phone away from her ear as Mayu began her rant, "You mean all of you have a partner to do that report together but I have to do the _whole thing _by myself?! That's not fair! I can't do a report to save my life! But- wait, what about the other guy that is left out? Our class have an even number of students right?"

"I'm sorry to have to crush your hopes, but Yamahara-san moved overseas."

"I see..." Mayu sighed over the phone. Then all of a sudden, as if a sudden switch was turned off, she reverted back to her initial polite ways again, "Thank you for listening to me, Akino-san. And I apologise for taking up so much of your time to listen to my meaningless ramblings."

Something in Eri sunk a little, "It's fine, really. I guess I will be seeing you when you come back then."

Mayu hummed, "See you then, good-bye."

Eri hung up the phone and let out a long breath. It was all the same. They were taught to never get attached to anyone- or anything. "And I thought that she would be different," she breathed, then shook her head quickly. It would do her no good to dwell on these things. She looked around her surroundings, taking in every smallest corners, every part of the room that was decorated to the finest details, every delicate carvings on the wall and wooden shelves- this was a place she called 'home'. Big and extravagant, it was every girl's dream; but to her, the emptiness in the hallways chilled her to the core. Cold and numb.

When she finally changed into her school uniform, Minori was already waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. She gazed at him in surprise, "Minori nii-san, you're taking me to school today?"

Hatano Minori smiled at her gently, "I have somewhere I need to go, your school is just a stop along the way."

Eri accepted his explanation and followed him to his car.

Hatano Minori was the eldest son of her father's elder sister. His father, Hatano Shou, was a famous architect- whose work ranged from the renowned Cathedrals in France to Theatres and Opera Houses in Paris, Italy and America. Eri's father had took one look at his nephew and found him to be more perceptive than anyone from his age group, and with the permission of his sister and brother-in-law, Akino Hiroto had taken it upon himself to see that his nephew was given the best training in running a business. He was not disappointed. Hatano Minori was born to do business, and his quick and sharp young mind soaked up everything he was taught in an unbelievable short amount of time. Soon, he became a right-hand man of his uncle when he came to age, assisting with the affairs in Japan while Akino Hiroto was abroad.

What was more was that Akino Hiroto and Akino Mari both trusted him with their daughter. He had proven to be a responsible and trustworthy lad, and they had faith in him to take care of their daughter while they were away. In a way, Minori was more like a friend, a brother, and at times a father to Eri. She looked up to him as a child and had great respects for him which only increased as she grew. He was the only family she knew of, and was constantly in touch with. And he had never done anything to hurt her. Instinctively, she knew he was her protector, someone she can run to without fear of betrayal, and that she could fly as far as she want and not be afraid of falling because she knew he'd be there to catch her.

Minori pulled the car to a stop outside the school gates and gave her a soft pat on her head, "Have a nice day, Eri."

"Thank you," she said, a genuine smile lighting up her gentle face, "You too, nii-san. Don't overwork yourself."

She got out of the car and waved as he drove away. As soon as he was out of sight, her smile dropped for a fraction and she bit her lips. Then slowly, she began making her way into the school, carefully avoiding the growing crowd and returning a greeting or two. She was one of the earliest to reach her class, but as she sat down, she heard someone calling her. Turning, Kuroda Saki was standing slightly behind her with a shy smile. "Good morning, Kuroda-san. Did you want to discuss about the report?"

The girl nodded, "I've done some research and was thinking if you have any idea on what aspect of science we should do?"

Eri tilted her head to the right in contemplation, "Actually," she began slowly, "I thought about it and narrowed the options down to two. Are you more comfortable with Medical Science, or would you prefer Invention?- these two are the only topics that are easier to picture if I have to imagine a future."

Something flashed behind Saki's dark eyes when she heard the options and for a moment, Eri thought she was going to cry. Finally, Saki replied, so softly at first that Eri had to strain her ears in order to hear her. She said, "Medical."

Eri nodded in understanding, "Okay then. Is there anything else?"

"Would it-" Saki seemed suddenly more unsure of herself than ever, "Would it be a bother if we did the report together?"

Eri blinked, surprised. Why the change out of the blue?

"We could. But, may I ask why?"

Saki smiled, though the slight tremblings of her lips said otherwise, "I just felt like doing it together for a change."

To her utmost relief, Eri did not press for more, but merely accepted her request. "So, in the library after school?" at her nod, Eri continued, "But I'm afraid we have to start tomorrow. I have somewhere else I want to go after school today. Is that okay?"

"Yes," Saki breathed, "Thank you." she gave a small bow and went back to her seat in the corner of the classroom, once again becoming unnoticeable.

Five minutes before the bell rang, Ootori Kyoya appeared by the door, closely followed by Suoh Tamaki who, by the look on his face and the faint pinkish aura that tainted the air around him, was fantasising (in a good way... well, if that was possible) about Fujioka Haruhi. And as she predicted, she heard him exclaim, "Ah, and she loves me so much that she gave me those Escargots despite her own hunger! With her own hands she piled them up in my plate while she ate her small plain tarts, even refused my offer of giving her a few... Oh, what have I done to deserve that wonderful maiden?"

Eri choked back a laugh that threatened to surface. Obviously, he was thinking about the dinner the night before. But seriously?

Pale blue eyes met brownish-grey ones and she gave her classmate an amused smile, which he returned before hitting Tamaki's head with the notebook in his hand, "Shut up, you moron. You're drawing too much unwanted attention."

"B-but, mommy!" Tamaki spluttered, only to get whacked again, harder this time-

"I said: Shut. Up."

Eri muffled a laugh behind a book.

* * *

As she always did, Eri sat on the couch beside the window, far, yet near enough to be able to know what was going on at each hosting table. This time, however, her book was laid untouched beside her, and in her eyes was yet again that inscrutable expression.

"Would you like a cup of tea?"

Eri looked towards the voice to see Fujioka Haruhi wearing a waiter costume, a serving trolley in front of her. She gave the brown-haired girl an appreciative smile and said, "Tea sounds great. Thank you, Fujioka-san."

Setting a cup of tea on the table, Haruhi asked, albeit tentatively, "May I sit with you?"

"Don't you have any guests to attend to?"

"Not today," the younger girl replied, a natural smile forming on her lips, "When I don't have a lot of guests I finish early and serve them refreshments here and there."

They sat without talking for a while before Eri turned and asked in a soft tone, "How does hosting feel like?"

"Hosting?" Haruhi repeated, thoughtfully, "Truthfully, it was a terrible experience at first- with me being a girl and all. But eventually, it grew on me. Seeing my guests happy and satisfied; sharing small and simple moments with them; then there's the idiots in this host club- I love it now." she had a real smile when she said this, "Want to hear how I got into this club?"

Eri inclined her head, indicating that she was listening.

"It all happened last year, I was a first-year then. It happened on the day when I finally had enough of all the ruckus in the library and decided to look for a quieter place to study," she began.

"I know how you feel. I'm a librarian."

Haruhi laughed and nodded, "Anyway, I wandered to this part of the building and saw the sign 'Third Music Room'. I thought to myself, surely, this music room must be empty. How wrong was I! When I opened the door, I was bombarded by those unrealistic rose petals and a golden-haired lunatic appeared in the middle of it. To cut the long story short, Tamaki-senpai got too close to me and I backed, not seeing what was behind me. I broke a vase- a very expensive one at that. Since I was a commoner and could not pay, Tamaki-senpai that idiot decided that I be the 'dog' of the club, all the while thinking I was a boy." She continued her tale on how the guys found out about her neutral looks, making her into a host; about a girl named Ayanokoji who became jealous of her and how the members of the host club helped her; about her times at Kyoya's private beach; about the twin's fight; and about the Ouran Festival last year.

"... in the end, we found out that Miss Eclair's intention was to let Tamaki-senpai meet his mother."

"And, did he?"

Haruhi smiled and laughed a little, "Yes, even if it's just for five minutes. The chairman- Tamaki-senpai's father, helped us too, pretending that he had the stomachache to stop his mother from boarding the plane until the very last minute."

"He did?" Eri's eyes widened as she tried to picture it in her mind.

"Ne,"

A double voice sounded behind them, interrupting Haruhi who had just opened her mouth to reply. Haruhi sighed in exasperation as the twins' head popped out, one at each side of her head, "What are you two talking about?" they asked in unison.

"It's none of your concern," Haruhi stated bluntly, "Now go back to your guests."

"But Haruhi," one said.

"-Hosting activities for today," said the other.

"-Is over!" they finished together.

"Really?" Haruhi casted a quick glance around and realised that the room was indeed empty, except for the few of them.

"So what were the two of you talking about?" they asked again.

"And as I've said, it's none of your concern." Haruhi deadpanned. Then she noticed Eri watching the twins with a keen expression on her face. Her stare was intense but not impolite, it was almost as if she was trying to figure something out. Haruhi understood then, "If you're wondering who's who, this one on my right is Hikaru; and the other one is Kaoru. It's quite easy to differentiate them if you know them well enough."

Eri's lips quirked as she remembered the story about the twins and Haruhi's little speech before their fake fight.

She nodded at the twins but made no further notions of doing something more. But before the mischievous twins could make another move, Ootori Kyoya came towards them. Ignoring the twins and merely sparing a glance at Haruhi with a sentence, "Tamaki's looking for you," he turned to Eri and pushed his glasses higher up on the bridge of his nose and said, "Enjoyed your visit?"

Eri's soft smile could melt the hearts of anyone. She said, "Do you still need to ask, Ootori?"

He chuckled, "Wouldn't hurt if I do."

She got up and grabbed her forgotten book, "I should get going. I'll see you tomorrow, Ootori," she said to her classmate, then turning to the twins who were watching their whole exchange with interest, "It's a pleasure to meet the both of you, Hitachiin Hikaru-san, Kaoru-san," and lastly turning to Haruhi, she smiled again, her gratefulness evident in her pale blue eyes, "And thank you, Fujioka-san, for your company. I really enjoyed listening to your stories."

"Just call me Haruhi will do."

"...Thank you, Haruhi-san."

* * *

"She's a nice girl," Haruhi commented to no one in particular as the door closed behind the senior who left.

"We agree!" said the twins enthusiastically. It was rare to meet a girl who did not fawn over them.

Haruhi glanced at Kyoya thoughtfully before remembering that Tamaki was looking for her. Her boyfriend... she sighed, "Should I say, sometimes I'm just exasperatedly happy."

_'Yeah, that's it- exasperatedly happy.'_

* * *

**The fifth chapter! Somehow, I can't leave all of you dear readers to wait too long... I'm a weird writer, aren't I?**

**Thank you all for your motivating comments, and to those who followed and favourited my story! **

**I do not own Ouran, only my original characters and scenes.**

**PS: Does anyone of you know how to treat a bee sting? I got stung on Saturday now I have a _really_ annoyingly itchy and swollen patch on my leg... **


	6. Chapter 6- The News

Chapter 6- The News

"Traumatic experiences, depression, emotional stress, external and internal factors, and the causes and possible cures?" Eri read from the list and her brows involuntarily rose a hair, "These are some really deep topics, Kuroda-san."

From where she sat on the floor across a small space from Eri, Kuroda Saki was fidgeting nervously, "I-I just felt that those could be interesting to do. Do you not like it?" she asked, the earnestness in her tone did not go unnoticed.

Eri flipped through the notes they have thrown together, her lips pressed tightly together as her mind sorted everything out to the smallest detail. "We _could _use this, and it's not that I don't like it," it just meant that she'd have to do a lot of very serious research, "We'll do this," she said decidedly, "But I might need a little more time planning my part. It's quite hard to predict what would happen in ten years- concerning these topics."

It was evening when Kuroda Saki followed Eri to her house. They had tried to finish their first discussion in the library but when Eri read through the things Saki had written down in her notebook, she decided that the noisy environment in the library was a distraction. They needed somewhere quiet, where they could hear themselves think, and talk to one another without raising their voices. So now here they were, in Eri's personal study, sitting cross-legged on the floor with papers all around them.

Eri tapped her pen against the floor rhythmically and turned her attention to Saki. The more she thought about it, the stronger that uncanny feeling was growing deep inside her. Something just wasn't adding up- but she held her tongue.

For the rest of the evening they worked in silence- with Kuroda Saki underlining and highlighting the main points; and Eri surfing through the internet, looking up the most recent break throughs in medical science, making sure to look deeper into psychology when a page caught her attention. She glanced at her small neat handwriting on her notebook and her brows creased as she reread the words 'miscarriages, mentally defect newborns, and stillborns'. Why these? Out of the corner of her eyes, she snuck a look at Saki and sighed.

Turning off her laptop, she asked, "Kuroda-san, would you like to stay for dinner?"

"Would it be a bother?"

Eri shook her head, "It won't be a bother at all. And it's already seven-thirty." she added, gesturing the ancient grandfather clock in the corner.

Saki's lips turned up into a shy smile, "Thank you, Akino-san."

* * *

Eri was frowning, so deep in thoughts that she failed to notice someone sitting down opposite her. She was tapping the tip of her pen against the table this time as she stared at the blank page in front of her. Finally, with a frustrated sigh, she put her pen down and rubbed her temples tiredly.

"Facing problems?"

A smooth tenor voice somewhere in front of her caught her attention and her head shot up- her eyes widened slightly before she smiled a little, "Ootori-kun," she greeted quietly before answering his question, "I guess I am- with the report. Are you and Suoh-san's report anywhere near done yet?"

Kyoya shot a look over at his 'blonde' friend- glared, actually. He pushed his glasses higher with his finger before settling himself more comfortably on the chair, "With that idiot as my partner, I'd be surprised that we have even started with it."

"But _you _have, haven't you?" she said knowingly, "I'm sure you'd have it done even if you have to work alone."

He smirked slightly, "Of course." If there's anything he would have learnt after knowing Tamaki for five years, it would be to never leave anything major to him. And it was not that Suoh Tamaki could not be trusted either- because if it was needed, he could be- it was just... Kyoya trailed off in his thoughts before internally letting out a defeated breath- alright, he might as well just admit that Tamaki could _not _be trusted under any circumstances.

She eyes him for a moment, her honey brown hair escaping their hold from behind her ears-

"Say, Ootori-kun,"

"Yes?"

"Your family 'rules' the medical line here in Japan, right?"

Kyoya leaned forward, seemingly interested, "I would not go as far as to say that but yes we do. And?"

"You have nothing to do for the moment, have you?" Eri asked carefully, not wanting to bother him if he had something else to attend to.

"I have no guests for today, if that's what you mean. And I've finished planning the budgets for the next month."

She gave him a grateful smile before turning her book over so that he could read the title, "Could you tell me what you know about this?"

Kyoya took a glance at it and she saw his eyebrows furrowed a little- just like hers had when she first read it. He ran his eyes over the words again before speaking, "If I may ask, who came up with this? Your partner is Kuroda Saki, am I right?"

"Yes, it's Kuroda-san. And it is she who came up with this whole idea." Eri replied as she too, felt the initial bewilderment all over again. She hoped she was over-reading things though.

"But ways to prevent emotional turmoils and helps to be offered to the psychologically and mentally unstable?" he repeated what he had read in a low voice, "And the rate of suicide which is escalating through the years and the effects of it?" They exchanged a look and he saw that she agreed with him as she nodded, "Depressing, I know." She actually found it hard to fall asleep at night after all these researching and reading about those endless list of victims and cases.

He thought for a while before pulling out his notebook and jolted down a few words, "If you want," he was saying, "I could email you some useful informations I could get- maybe some of those which are not made known to public yet?"

"That'll be a great help," she said, smiling gently at him, "Thank you so much, Ootori-kun."

"No problem," he said, "Take it as a return gift for the all the practical tips you gave to the club these few weeks."

"I'm glad you found them helpful," she smiled and shut her book. She leaned back against the backrest and closed her eyes. She felt weary all of a sudden and the fatigue she had tried to fight off rushed back to her full-forced. Keeping her eyes shut, she murmured softly, "Don't mind me, you can go back to your work. I'm sure you have other things to do."

She heard no sound, but the rustling of fabrics told her that her companion had listened to her words and she was alone again. Sounds of chatters and occasional giggles reached her ears and she relaxed, and uncontrollably, she fell asleep.

* * *

Fujioka Haruhi stretched herself a bit when all the guests left, sighing contently as her joint popped into place. Her big brown eyes caught sight of the slumbering girl beside the window and she could not help but observe her.

Akino Eri looked so peaceful when she was asleep, with one of her hands folded under her head on the armrest while the other rested on her lap; her honey brown hair which caught the sunlight turned into a rich shade of gold. She was a sight that no one would find the heart in them to disturb. She was beautiful- Haruhi realised out of nowhere. A quiet kind of beauty, one which almost went unnoticeable. A black figure moved in her peripheral vision and she turned her gaze to her right and saw that the cold and calculating senior of hers was watching the sleeping girl with- what Haruhi was sure- the same look she held in her eyes: appreciative.

Behind her, she immediately recognised the distinct dreamy sigh of the twins and she turned and gave them a warning look. They grinned and help up their hands in surrender and crept away to find another target of harmless torture. And unfortunately, the someone left was Suoh Tamaki. And soon-

"Ah! Haruhi, Haruhi~ The twins! The twins!"

Haruhi felt anger bubble inside her at her so-called boyfriend's loudness and shot a cautious look at the resting girl only to see that she was stirring. Aggravatingly, she hissed at Tamaki, "Really, Tamaki-senpai, can't you be more tactful to your surroundings? Can't you see that Akino-senpai was sleeping?"

Tamaki's deep purple eyes shone with tears as he sniffed- somehow, he reminded her of a puppy... again. "I-I'm so sorry, Haruhi... bu-but the twins,"

"That's so mean, tono (Your Highness)," the twins jumped in front of him as they exclaimed together, "To put the blame on us when you are the one to blame."

Haruhi rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose in defeat. Shifting her attention back, she saw that Eri was already sitting up straight while rubbing her eyes sleepily. An image of Honey-senpai flashed across Haruhi's mind and she blinked. Looking more closely, she decided that a newly-awakened Akino-senpai was like Honey-senpai when he woke up fully rested and in a good mood.

She went over and offered her a smile, "Did you rest well, Akino-senpai?"

Akino Eri put down her hand and smiled a little back at her, "I did. Thank you for asking, Haruhi-san. I hope I didn't cause any trouble."

"Not at all," Haruhi said, reassuring her, "I noticed that you really were tired," to be able to sleep through all that loud racket.

"I was," Eri admitted.

"Akino,"

This time, it was Kyoya who called her.

Eri gazed questioningly at him as he proceeded to explain, "The host club has decided to go out for a one-day outing trip to Asakusa Hanayashiki, one of the oldest amusement park in Tokyo. Would you like to join us?"

"Amusement park?"

"Tamaki's suggestion," he told her, "He went online to look for commoner's past-time and found that amusement park. We had already rented the park for one full day so there will be no outsiders on that day."

"When?" she asked.

"Next Saturday."

Eri pursed her lips together, "I don't know if I'll be able to go but I'll ask my family and see," or more accurately, Minori nii-san.

"Very well," Kyoya said, obviously pleased as he continued writing in his black notebook.

As Eri took her leave and got onto the backseat of her limo, she pondered about the invitation Ootori Kyoya gave her. A smile formed on her lips as she thought of how fitting the suggestion was for Tamaki. Fujioka Haruhi had told her all about his strange infatuation with commoners.

"It should be fun," she whispered to herself. She had never been to one, and when Hayashi Mayu had mentioned her trip to Disneyland a few days ago, she had been curious as to what it would be like.

She ate dinner by herself that evening; Minori being away on a brief but sudden business trip. The big, white, marbled dinning room felt cold and the food she ate tasted like paste. Her eyes dimmed and she lost her appetite after a few bites.

Excusing herself, she went to her study and flung herself onto her favourite couch and stayed there, unmoving. Her thumping heart was all she could hear in the midst of the silence, and her breathing echoed through the four walls in an unnerving kind of way.

Flipping open her laptop, she went to her Yahoo! homepage and went through the list of news. Nothing in particular caught her attention and she was just about to turn it off before one tittle in particular popped out from the page.

Dragging the cursor, she clicked on it and read the headline slowly-

'One of Japan's Leading Politicians Caught in another Scandal after One Year'

Below the headline was a photo- and Eri found herself frowning at the familiar black hair and brown eyes. She forced her eyes away from the photo and continued reading-

'One of Japan's leading politician by the name of Kuroda Takaki was video-taped entering a hotel with a young woman two days ago. The video was spread online and had quickly become one of the videos with the most hit. His wife saw and was said to have a mental breakdown after that. According to the doctor, the emotional stress was too much for her unstable situation and news came this morning that she had a miscarriage. Both Kuroda Takaki and his wife had refused to entertain anyone at the moment...'

Eri stopped reading, her mind going into an overdrive as she processed the message.

Black hair and brown eyes.

Mental breakdown.

Emotional stress.

Unstable mentallity.

Miscarriage.

Kuroda Takaki.

She inhaled sharply and paled when realisation dawned her.

She now knew why that hair and eyes seemed so familiar, she now knew why those words had struck a cord in her, and she now knew why Saki had suggested that topic for their report-

The politician was Saki- Kuroda Saki's father.

* * *

**Were you expecting that? It came to me as a big surprise. I always thought that I would be giving Hayashi Mayu a larger role but then she went to America (out of my expectation) and Kuroda Saki appeared and then this happened. I honestly did not expect my story to take this turn... (As I've said, I have absolutely zero plot for this story, I just imagine things up as I type) That's why, I'm so so _so_ surprised.**

**Tell me what you think ^_^**

**I do not own Ouran; only my original character, a plot ****which-i-don't-have; and original scenes.**

**And about Asakusa Hanayashiki, it's a real amusement park in Tokyo which I've found on the internet. **

**PS: Anyone other than me noticed that in the anime, Kyoya's laptop actually is a 'Pineapple'? (the brand, or logo, or label, or whatever gadget users call it...) XD**

**Review~**


	7. Chapter 7- The Aftermath

Chapter 7- The Aftermath

It was amazingly ironic, really, how someone could be so blatantly invisible and suddenly be the centre of attention without even being there.

All around her, Eri was aware of the hushed whispers and the constant looks that were shot across the room at the empty seat in the corner of the class. Despite her effort at ignoring those disturbing murmurs, she could not help but pick up bits and pieces of their discussions. While some of the girls actually _felt_ for Kuroda Saki, quite a few of them were simply indifferent. But she knew better than to judge. People like them could not afford to get caught up in another family's business- a scandal at that. They had a reputation to keep, and they must not, in any way, fail.

That was why the host club was started, wasn't it? Eri glanced over at Suoh Tamaki, who was immersed in a conversation with his best friend, who seemed to be ignoring him most of the time, she knew, though, that he was listening. Ootori Kyoya and Suoh Tamaki. Eri taped her chin wistfully. They were a pair that no one could have expected in a thousand years. Both were so incredibly different, polar opposites; yet they shared the strongest bond of friendship she had ever witnessed- especially in their world. Together they had formed the host club, a place where everyone else could, if only for a moment, push their duties and responsibilities aside and simply enjoy life as a teenager.

But.

Eri's eyes dimmed a little.

But there was no running away from the real world, no matter how much they- she hated it. If there was a choice, she'd rather be born in a normal family, with enough financial resource, a loving mother who cooked and cleaned the house, and a father who came home everyday, and maybe even siblings. When Eri was younger, she had always admired those families on the television shows. The picture it portrayed was one she wished in vain was her own.

As for the problems the Kuroda family was facing, everyone knew- it was a common knowledge- that arranged marriage had been one of the factors this 'tragedy' happened. It was the typical guy and girl married, girl fell in love, guy wanted out. Despite living in the twenty-first century, for the sake of the family, this was one of the things they had to sacrifice. It wouldn't hurt that much if that partner was your best friend... but that was what they all knew. Love did not mean anything to them. No. It _meant_ something to _them_ but not their families.

But girls still hung onto that hope- some young men even- hope that maybe one day, they'll find true love.

Eri was more blessed than most. Her family was stable enough for her to find her own partner. But it was still clearly engraved in her mind that someone beneficial to the family would be the best choice.

There was nothing they could do.

* * *

Instead of sitting down today, Eri chose to stare out at the scenery. Her mood for observations had vanished, there was too much thoughts swirling in her mind that she felt as if her head was going to explode. She knew better than to contact Kuroda Saki. Firstly, Minori nii-san, no matter how soft-hearted he was to his family, had told her sternly, to not contact the girl these few days. It wasn't that he had no heart, it was just that he placed his family, and her safety, at the very top of his priority list. The family was more important than anything else, and to be caught having any relationships with the Kuroda family right now was not an option. Secondly, Eri knew that her classmate and Mrs Kuroda would be grieving over the lost of the unborn child and would not wish to be disturbed. And lastly, she did not have the courage to ask her how she was.

"You seem worried,"

Without turning, Eri hummed in admittance.

Ootori Kyoya leaned against the wall beside her and continued writing in his note book, "If you're worried about _that_, I find no harm in telling you that her mother is recovering perfectly well in my family's hospital."

The corner of her lips lifted into a small smile, "That's good to know," she whispered.

"And I have sent the informations you asked for to your email last night," he continued, "What are you going to do about the report?"

Eri had been thinking about the very question herself. Now that Kuroda Saki was not available- and most probably would not be coming to school for at least a month or two, she had to finish the report alone. And yet- "I might change the topic,"

His pen paused a few seconds before resuming, "You should," he agreed. The topic Kuroda Saki chose was now a very sensitive subject.

"I couldn't help but think, though," she muttered suddenly, her voice so soft that only he could hear, "If I had asked her the reason, and pressed for it, would she have told me what happened. I've always felt that something was amiss- when she requested to work together, when she came over to my house, when she first came and asked me to be her partner- it was as if she was afraid to go home, and was asking for help," she turned her head then and her eyes met with those dark eyes which had turned to look at her in the middle of her speech, "Did I do something wrong?" she asked him with uncertainty wavering her voice.

He stared hard at her- so lost and frail at the moment, and felt a warm urge welling deep down within.

"It's not your fault, Akino." He said on his soothing tenor voice, "You have no reason to feel guilty."

"But what if I could have helped?" In one way or another? The question she had tried her best to ignore was always lingering at the back of her mind. And the more she tried to push it aside, the louder it screamed at her.

"There was nothing you could've done," he said, his voice softening still, "Akino. There was nothing you could've done."

In fact, there really was none. It was the choice of Kuroda Takaki to commit that act, and it was Kuroda Saki's choice to keep a secret. Sure, she could have dug it out, but then what?

"You're right," she said finally, leaning her forehead against the glass panes.

"Of course I am."

At that, she let out an involuntary laugh, "You really are the best, Ootori-kun," she said with a smile, "Thank you, though, for listening so patiently." She really had to get all of that off her chest.

"Nothing is free of charge," he reminded her, passing her a stack of paper, "You might as well help me calculate the total amount we need for the amusement park trip and the number of customers going, as well as double-check the grand total of the fares."

Eri took the stack without a word and went over to her usual table and began punching digits on her calculator. Ootori Kyoya watched her with a faint hint of a smile on his lips. 'To stop her from thinking too much.' He was certain she knew his purpose as well, and at that moment, he truly enjoyed the mutual understanding both of them had.

* * *

Inside her limo, Eri bit her lips as her brows furrowed in contemplation. Then finally gathering up courage and determination, she said, "Please head towards the Kuroda estate."

The driver hesitated, "But, Eri-sama-"

"I'm not going in or anything," Eri interrupted gently, "I just have something I want to make sure." In truth, she was still worried. And though seeing the house might not help much, she desperately hoped that it could ease her nerves if only just a little bit.

"...As you wish, Eri-sama."

Eri hugged her school bag to her chest as she stared out of the window. Her pale blue eyes were tight and forcedly calm as they entered the neighbourhood of the people who were the higher class in society. Her keen eyes caught sight of the crowd of people gathered around the bend at the corner and knew that that was the house she was looking for.

As the driver drove cautiously closer, making sure to keep a constant speed and avoiding the crowd of reporters and taking care that they don't catch sight or notice them, Eri caught a glimpse of the row of bodyguard surrounding the house.

She could not help but notice, however, that the Kuroda estate seemed dead and eerily silent. It was as if a cloud of gloom had hovered over that piece of land.

Then just before they reached the house, the driver turned into the street just two houses before the Kuroda's, making it seem as if they were heading towards another place.

Eri sincerely hoped that Kuroda Saki would come out of this mess unscathed- but knew it was impossible.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Ootori Kyoya gave an almost exaggerated sigh.

"Fuyumi nee-san," he said as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Please, how many times must I tell you to stop messing up my drawers."

Kyoya's older sister, nee Ootori Fuyumi clutched her younger brother's shirt as she protested, "But, Kyoya-san, I just wanted to help out."

Kyoya closed his eyes in frustration. One would think that after so many years he would have grown used to his older sister wanting to help clear his room only to cause a huge mess later on. Despite being married for so many years, her housewife skills were still tragically missing. He eyed the havoc in his room critically and his temples throbbed, "_Please_," he said through smiling, gritted teeth, "Leave the job to the servants."

"Say, Kyoya,"

"Yes?"

"Kyoya, have you met anything in school recently?"

He raised a brow at his sister, "What do you mean, Fuyumi nee-san?"

Fuyumi smiled wistfully as she watched him. In this cold home, she was the only one who really knew Kyoya. She had been the only one who made an effort to watch him grow from a baby to the handsome young man he was now. She knew, though he never mentioned, his struggles of wanting to surpass his elder brothers and of the sacrifices he made trying to reach father's expectations. And now, looking at him for the past few weeks, she felt as if she was looking at the Kyoya five years ago when Suoh Tamaki first came into the scene. She still remembered how furious her brother was at the 'idiot' everyday, how he punched his frustrations out on the couch. But still, it was the first time Kyoya seemed like he was having fun.

"Have you met someone you like?" she asked, eagerly curious.

'_Someone I like_?' He stared unblinkingly at Fuyumi, waiting for her to explain.

"Somehow, you remind me of the time when Suoh-san first arrived," she said. Only, Kyoya seemed to like this someone more than he did Suoh Tamaki, more... at peace?

"It's just a mutual friendship with someone who has more brains than Tamaki has," Kyoya told her calmly as he returned to his studies.

"And," she pressed, "Who is that someone? A girl?" Fuyumi bit her lips to prevent an unladylike squeal. It couldn't possibly be, could it? That this complicated, calculating brother of hers would strike up a friendship with a _girl_. 'Looks like he's not as hopeless as I've thought', she mused.

"She's the heiress of the Akino Corporation and the next owner of the diamond minds, there's no harm with having an ally like her for our family."

Fuyumi rolled her eyes but smiled. How could she not hear his tone that held a different meaning than his words?

"So. Is she nice? Pretty?" For all she knew, she never met the young heiress by the name Akino in any parties or galas.

Kyoya wrote down the last answer for his homework before putting down his pen, knowing that his sister would stop at nothing to get her answers.

"She's different than the others," he said slowly, "Quiet, smart, and someone really pleasant to work with."

Fuyumi sighed, "That's not all I ask, Kyoya," she said, "I also asked, 'Is she pretty?'!"

Kyoya paused his movements for a moment before gathering his books and getting up from where he sat to go back to his room.

But before Fuyumi had the chance to pull him back, she heard him say, so softly that she thought she could have imagined it-

He said-

"Yes, she is."

* * *

**And this is the seventh chapter! ^_^ **

**If you haven't noticed, I have changed the rating of this story to T because I'm not sure if the Kuroda case fits into the K+ category or not. **

**Anyway, how do you like the little scene between Kyoya and his sister? Also, does anyone know the surname of Fuyumi after she married? I don't remember seeing it anywhere but I think the mangas have it? Please let me know.**

**I do not own Ouran.**

**Thanks to all who reviewed, followed, and favourited this story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter~**

**PS: Somehow, I keep having troubles naming my chapters... seriously, I spend more time thinking about the chapter title than the chapter content! **


	8. Chapter 8- Contemplation

Chapter 8- Contemplation

"Minori nii-san?"

Hatano Minori raised his head from the documents before him and looked towards the door where his younger cousin stood, a slender hand in a fist against the door which she had knocked it softly seconds ago. Her pale blue eyes were tinted with a shyness that was rare but beneath that layer of emotion he saw an undeniable excitement. Understanding that she needed to speak with him, Minori closed his file with a resigned but gentle smile.

"Come in and take a seat, Eri," he said as he cleared his table slightly.

Eri smiled in gratitude as she walked over towards his table and sat in the chair opposite him. No matter how busy he was, no matter how much paperwork he still had to do, Minori never turned her away when she came knocking on his door. She still remembered clearly the first time she dared to venture into this room while he was working. At that time, she was only twelve-

_Eri gazed intently at her father as he talked through the phone to an unknown __recipient. She knew, though, that whatever or whoever was on the other side of the line, it had to be something good because her father had a smile on his face. Her short legs kicked the air in a swinging motion as she waited for her father to finish talking. At the age of twelve, she was a curious being- a trait innocent children had the right to possess. _

_From where they were, Eri could faintly hear her mother's beautiful music floating out from her music room on the second floor. She liked to listen to her mother play. It was the sweetest and most soothing sound she ever heard. Akino Mari was hardly ever at home, but even when she was, she was always practicing, getting ready for the next performance._

_Her father hung up the phone and gave a satisfied sigh. Then turning to his daughter, he said, "Starting from tomorrow, Eri, your cousin will be coming here everyday."_

_Eri's eyes lit up like a child's during Christmas, "Really? Minori nii-san?" she exclaimed, "He's really, really coming over everyday?" That gentle, loving, and soft-spoken cousin? _

_Minori had been her favourite since she could remember. _

_Akino Hiroto chuckled at his daughter's eagerness and utmost delight, "Does the news of Minori coming really makes you this happy, Eri dear?"_

_"Of course it does, papa," Eri said, "Minori nii-san is the best."_

_His chuckles turned into a hearty laugh, "Is that so? Well, Eri, you will see him very often from now on."_

_~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~_

_Eri sat in front of her mother's piano with an air of __melancholy that would almost seemed amusing for a child her age to hold on her face- but on her, it would seem almost fitting. She raised her hand and a clear middle C note rang in the empty space of the music room._

_She should be used to it already- she scolded herself. But still, it didn't help the saddened feeling that came upon her when she woke up that morning only to find that her father had left the country in the middle of the night for some sudden urgent business meeting overseas; and she made it downstairs just in time to see her mother leave the house in a limo heading towards the airport where she would soon be boarding a plane to France. Whenever they left, she was always the last to know._

_Biting her lower lip unconsciously, Eri suddenly thought of the newcomer just downstairs- Minori nii-san who was here for the fourth day. She hadn't really seen him since the first day when her father led him into a study. _

_She wanted to see him then and she debated with herself if she should. Papa never liked it when he was interrupted during work._

_Slowly and quietly getting up, she crept down the stairs and turned to the left of the hall which led to the study. She hesitated upon reaching the dark oak doors. Maybe it wasn't the best idea after all? _

_Timidly, she knocked, and the knock itself was so soft she doubt if he could even hear it. But he did. And when his voice reached her ears, she found herself pushing the door open, poking a head in while the rest of her body was hidden behind the door. She saw Minori, in his late teens by then, sitting at the table where her father used to sit, smiling welcomingly at her when he saw who his interrupter was._

_"I was wondering when I would get to see you, Eri," he greeted her, "Please, don't hesitate to come in."_

_She came closer and peered over the table at his open file, "Are you busy, Minori nii-san?"__  
_

_"Not at all."_

It wasn't until years later that she realised that he was lying when he replied. But his actions touched her to the core.

Now, as Eri sat in front of him, she could not keep off the smile that lifted the edges of her lips. "Nii-san, are you busy?" she asked, knowing what his answer yet the fact failed to hinder her from asking the question once more.

"No, I'm not," came the expected reply, "Do you need anything?"

"I was wondering," she started, "If you would allow me to go along with some of my schoolmates to Asakusa Hanayashiki amusement park on Saturday? The host club is hosting this event and my classmate invited me."

Amusement park? Minori mused. "And, who is that classmate?" he knew that she wanted to go and that he wanted her to go, seeing that she had never been to one, but he needed to know just _who_ asked her to. There was no such thing as being overly cautious.

"Ootori Kyoya."

Ootori? Minori sat up straighter in his seat, a little surprised, as well as stunned. He had always known that the third son of the Ootori Corporation went to Ouran and was in the same class as his cousin sister but for him to personally invite her was... suspicious. Unless there was something from Eri that would benefit him- Minori doubt if an Ootori would do anything that wasn't beneficial to their own family. It was one of the reason Eri's father was not keenly interested on being business partners with the Ootoris, other than the fact that the business of both families were on completely different lines, of course.

He had met the Ootoris on more than one occasion and he agreed with his uncle that Ootori Yoshio was a cold and calculating man, with a dominating and predatory presence which was un-ignorable everywhere. But last year, there was a rumour going around saying that Ootori Yoshio had decided on passing the Ootori Medical to his third son. He never knew what the inside story was, but that rumour was proof enough that the seventeen-year-old was more than what met the eyes.

"Is he a friend or merely an acquaintance?"

He watched as she blinked and tilted her head slightly to the side as she contemplated his question, a rueful smile forming on her face.

"Well," she began, "I'm not _exactly_ sure if I could call him a friend, but... he is more than an acquaintance." there was a blurry line between them but it did not bother them in the slightest. They were at ease with each other, and that was what counted.

Minori hummed at her response, uncommenting, "And who else is going?"

"Suoh Tamaki, the Hitachiin twins, a commoner girl named Fujioka Haruhi, and a about forty over schoolmates."

"Hitachiin?" Minori raised his brows, instantly recognising the name.

Eri nodded, "Yes, sons of the famous designer whom your mother is a fan of."

Minori sighed as he thought of his fashion-loving mother and gave Eri his consent. He watched as Eri left the room looking more alive than she had ever been and worried. Sure he was glad that she was finally having people to talk to, but he was still afraid for her. He could only hope that she would not get hurt- no, he would _not_ let her get hurt, not his quiet, gentle cousin.

* * *

Eri had always been somehow detached from the rest of her peers- yet somehow united. She observed things, but rarely acted upon them; she kept to herself, and was content being at the sidelines.

So when she was 'attacked' by the now-in-college senior, her mind went blank.

Haninozuka Mitsukuni, or Honey-senpai as known to the other girls, armed with his pink stuffed bunny- named Usa-chan- pulled a chair close beside her and was talking a mile a minute, "-what type of cake do you like, Ri-chan?" the senior boy was asking, pointing to the cake-filled table which she was using just seconds ago, "Chocolate? Vanilla? Maybe strawberry? Would you like a mousse too? Or an opera?"

"I-"

"You know, I've noticed you since the last time I came here. Say, did Kyo-chan and Tama-chan convince you to come here? I heard that you are in class 3-A as well, it was my class last year..."

Eri tuned him out then, and began to wonder why he had come, out of the blue, to speak to her. She noticed that he had grown taller, considerably since last year, and was now at least up to Morinozuka-senpai's chest, and he had somewhat out-grown his childish looks. But- it was certain that he had kept his personality. Her eyes drifted to the side to where his cousin was sitting silently, sipping tea. Morinozuka Takashi had remained the same- still stoic and expressionless. He noticed her gaze and nodded once, before saying, "Mitsukuni, there's ice cream after this."

She watched as the golden-haired senior's eyes brightened and with a movement too fast for her to comprehend, one huge slice of chocolate cake was gone and he was reaching for another.

A small plate of cake was pushed in front of her and she looked up to see the serious senior giving her a kind look, "Chocolate Mint," he said.

"Thank you, senpai," she accepted the treat and slowly started to dig into her piece, all the while still wondering why they had came.

"Ri-chan, Ri-chan," Honey called, drawing back her attention to him, "I heard from Haru-chan that you are coming to the amusement park with us, are you?"

Finally being given a chance to reply (instead of him rambling all the way), she said, "Yes, I'm going."

"Have you ever been there before? An amusement park, I mean."

"No, unfortunately, I have not, senpai."

So went the evening, with Honey-senpai shooting questions after questions; Mori-senpai being a silent statue; and Eri answering whenever she could. They were a peculiar sight to see.

When Eri left, after the host club finished their hosting for the day, Honey was happily humming to himself as he devoured the last of the ice cream. Things had gone smoothly, according to his opinion.

"Honey-sanpai,"

"Hm? What is it, Hika-chan, Kaoru-chan?"

The twins exchanged a glance, "What were you talking about to Akino-senpai for the whole evening?" they chorused.

Honey licked his spoon for one last time, "Ri-chan's a really good girl," he stated brightly.

The twins rubbed their temple as they sighed, "Honey-senpai, are you listening to us at all?"

"Nope." came the cheerful reply.

They looked towards the other senior for help, only to find themselves being ignored, "Mitsukuni, cream." the stoic senior said as he wiped the offending white stuff away from his cousin's chin.

Feeling truly defeated, the twins left the two alone.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Dropping his smile quite suddenly, Haninozuka Mitsukuni glanced up at his companion, "It seems like we can rest assured now, can't we, Takashi?" he asked with a rare seriousness in his voice, the one which only appeared when he was talking to his cousin.

"Yeah."

Honey walked towards the window just in time to see a certain honey brown-haired girl enter a limo, a small smile ghosted on his lips-

"She's a good girl," he repeated.

Morinozuka stood beside him, gazing at the same scene, "She is."

_'She'll be good for him.'_

* * *

**Here's chapter eight!**

**Today's the day of the first anniversary of my grandmother's departure and we had gone to the beach. I miss her.**

**So. I don't know if you guys are able to grasp the purpose of the last part of this chapter- I hope you did. Tell me what you think~ ^_^**

**...**

**I do not own Ouran; Eri and all original characters and scenes however, are mine.**

**A great big 'thank you' to all those who reviewed, favourited, and followed this story! I'm touched! .!**

**Till next time~ ^_^**

**~Lura Elsworth.**


	9. Chapter 9- Conflicted

Chapter 9- Conflicted

Eri gazed absent-mindedly at the sea of roses before her as she sat in the small stone hut in the middle of Ouran's rose maze. Since she began her studies in this academy, she had always wondered about the reasons the chairman would want to grow a maze like this in school. Not many liked to come here, seeing as how easy it was to get lost inside without a clear idea of the structure; but she loved it here. It was the only peaceful place in school where she could hear herself think most clearly- especially during spring, when the breeze carried the smell of fresh flowers.

School was over about an hour ago and she had been here since. She had no duties in the library today and she had not felt the want to go to the host club. It was one of those moment when she needed to think and reflect without fear of interruption. She felt lost and confused, and her heart was burdened.

Kuroda Saki had not returned to school- she would never return.

It shouldn't be such a shock but it was. Their form teacher had announced that to them this morning and an uproar had erupted. Why? When? How? All of them had been wondering. Though Kuroda Saki may be a loner and invisible, she was still someone they knew and had spent at least a year together. Unlike their parents and those adults which had grown numb through the years, they were only teenagers who were seventeen- who still had a sensitive heart that was vulnerable to emotions no matter how hard they tried not to show it. The numbness came through experience, and experience was the very thing they did not have... yet.

Kuroda Saki's mother divorced her father officially on Thursday and she was now called Nomura Saki. Eri could only guess what was inside her mother's heart to make that decision- Mrs Kuroda had loved her husband. The only reason she could come up with was Saki. For the future of her daughter, surely, no matter how harsh life was to her, Mrs Kuroda would want a better future for the both of them- even if it meant breaking her own heart. They were people with pride, they will not fall, and they will not be defeated again and again. The former Mrs Kuroda had made up her mind, and after the divorce, she had moved herself and Saki away from Japan, heading to England, where the Nomura Corporation was.

Eri admired her courage and strength. For a woman who was said to have sunk into depression and was mentally unstable, Saki was the only thing that held that poor woman to earth- the only thing that gave her a reason to live.

Reaching her hand into her school bag, Eri pulled out an envelope and opened it. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she read the two words on the paper-

'Thank you'

Just two words.

She knew who it was from the moment this letter arrived in the morning, it wasn't until the teacher announced the news that she knew the reason. Her fingers ran across the page as a lone tear slid down her cheek.

She had done nothing- nothing at all. So why was Saki thanking her?

If anything, her guilt multiplied.

She wanted to scream, to throw something, to cry until there was nothing left in her- at this very moment, it was as if every negative emotions that she had kept pent up deep inside her came to the surface and was threatening to overcome her: Her loneliness, disappointment, anger, grief, guilt, and pain... everything she never knew she had in her. Truly, Saki's letter was just the last straw, the last crack before her dam broke.

Instead, she wept.

Without a sound.

She needed a good cry, even though she didn't know exactly why.

There was no one here to see her, no one here to witness her breakdown.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Tamaki-senpai,"

The golden-haired young man turned from his guests to look at his 'beloved's beautiful and angelic face'. "Yes, Haruhi?" he asked, though everything in him wanted to call her, 'My sweet, darling, Haruhi'.

Haruhi, with her usual serving trolley, was standing beside him with her brown eyes scanning the room, "Have you seen Kyoya-senpai?" she asked as she searched. It wasn't usual, if ever, that Kyoya was absent from their host activities. He was the mastermind of the club, the 'shadow king' which made sure that everything went perfectly- despite Tamaki's self proclaimed title.

Suoh Tamaki followed her line of sight across the room and his brows furrowed in confusion, "Kyoya? Wasn't he here just around ten minutes ago?" He could still remember hearing the girls asking if the newest issue of their magazine was available yet. Speaking of which, he was still in awe at how he was able to get all their pictures without their knowledge.

"If you're talking about Kyoya-senpai-"

The twin's voice suddenly cut into their conversation.

"We just saw him," said Hitachiin Hikaru with an arm wrapped around his brother's shoulders.

"Walking across the garden through the window," continued Hitachiin Kaoru.

"Heading straight into the rose maze." They finished together.

"The rose maze?" Haruhi repeated, clearly puzzled. Why would he want to go there? Except for the few times last year when all of them ended up going into the maze for one reason or the other, they never thought of going there anymore. For herself and Tamaki, they found themselves more often than not, lost inside the maze. To which she earnestly wondered why if Tamaki was seriously the chairman's own son.

"Is our Haruhi worried about mommy?" Tamaki exclaimed all of a sudden with tears in his eyes, "Ah, I am so touched by my wonderful daughter's caring nature! And now I can rest in peace and know that I have raised up my daughter into an amazing woman..."

The twins rolled their eyes and slipped away again. Leave it to Haruhi to deal with her boyfriend's stupidity, they will have no hand in it.

Haruhi sighed and decided that it was best if she just left. It would be good for her heart and her temper. Really, Tamaki just had the ability to drive people to the brink of insanity sometimes.

But she loved him.

Yes. She was doomed for the rest of her life.

* * *

Ootori Kyoya made his way through the maze with complete ease.

Tomorrow was the day the host club would be going to the amusement park and all the preparations were done to minute details. Though Tamaki had wanted to 'rent a bus', Kyoya found it relatively easy to talk him out of that one- in exchange for 'commoners' bento' for lunch.

But that was not what he came here to think about. He was here to look for something- or, in this case, someone.

When their teacher had informed them about the latest news with the Kurodas, his immediate attention was turned to Akino Eri who sat a few seats away from him. He had seen the look on her face- eyes-widened and pale- she looked as if she was ready to bolt and run away as fast as she could. He remembered their conversation a few days ago and knew that her guilt was still eating her alive, even after what he told her.

It was an irrational guilt, and he was sure somewhere deep down she knew that as well. But rational thoughts and emotions warred and as far as he could see, her emotional side was winning. It was subtle, and would have gone unnoticeable to anyone else but he, who had been watching carefully, had caught the extend of her distraught.

So when she had failed to show up during host activities, he knew she wasn't well.

It was his specialty and he always prided himself of his extensive data on everyone in the school. Some basic informations he got them through the school database; others he got them through observations. But as for Akino Eri, he could say that he knew her best among anyone else. They had been classmates for six years- even longer than he had been with Tamaki. While it was true that they barely spoken, he had watched her for her hobbies, her food preference, her favourite place in school, as well as her working habits. It was in his nature to gather informations, even unintentionally, he had gotten her basics down to a pat. Six years was indeed a long time, and while he managed in the end, it had taken him a very long period of time to even figure out some aspects concerning her. Despite all of that, he could not say that he knew her more than the surface.

It wasn't until the beginning of this school year that they really conversed. In truth, he really had not been expecting to see her in the host club on that first day- and he certainly had not expected her to request for him. For all he knew, she would go for Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai. He should've known better. Both of them loved silence and it was at that very moment that he felt a sort of companionship- something he had not felt even with Tamaki.

The members of the host club were his friends- and each and everyone of them, though it was no longer important, they all had something to benefit from each other when they formed the club. Tamaki got his pretend-family; Honey-senpai got his freedom; Mori-senpai got his happiness in seeing the Honey in his truest form; Kaoru and Hikaru got out of their solitary world; and he himself received the experience of business managing and the opportunity to fulfil his bit in raising his family's image.

Haruhi was the only one without a benefit- no, even she received plenty of benefits through the club's acceptance. She received a lot of things she wouldn't have otherwise if she had remained in a commoner school.

They were friends, and they cared for one another in their own way. Despite it all, they still knew the ugly truth.

Nothing was pure in their world.

And though Akino Eri was different, she too, was no longer free from the hideous reality their world had trapped them in. In this world, nothing was a fair play, you'll never win anything if you did.

But some of them _were_ purer than the others.

She was one of them- though he knew that if it was necessary, she would not hesitate to play by the non-existing rule of their world.

Kyoya was pulled out of his thoughts when he neared the centre of the maze by a continuous flow of a soft noise. He glanced towards the stone hut and he wasn't expecting the sight that met his eyes.

The honey brown head was buried in a pair of slender arms on the table, shoulders shaking with tremor from the soundless sobs the owner was emitting. For a second, he wondered how long she was here.

There was another part of him that was wondering why _he_ was here instead of being in the music room. Maybe, just maybe, though he rarely admitted, he cared. He couldn't exactly call her a friend, but she was no less than one.

Only, he never knew that the news would effect her so badly. However, he was suspecting that there was something more to it.

Soundlessly, he walked towards her and sat down on the opposite side. And then wordlessly, he pulled out his note book and began writing.

* * *

Eri didn't know how long she sat there having the worst- if not only- breakdown in her life. But once the waterworks started, there was no way stopping them.

Her cries had calmed into an occasional sob here and there and her breathing had returned to her normal pace. She took in a shaky breath and let out a long and equally trembling sigh. She raised her head from her arms and wiped her tears away before looking up- and jumped, startled.

"Ootori-kun!"

Her eyes grew wide and she gasped in surprise- and perhaps, horror- "How long have you been here?"

Ootori Kyoya closed his note book calmly, "It depends on what you want to hear. How long did you think I was here?"

Despite herself, Eri felt her lips give a small twitch. "You didn't see anything, did you?"

The edges of his mouth lifted slightly and he adjusted his glasses, "No, I did not."

She bit her lower lip and hastily wiped her eyes again and sniffed. Her voice came out in a low whisper-

"You saw everything."

Kyoya was silent when she raised her eyes to meet his. His silence was answer enough and she sighed again, "I'm sorry you had to see that," she said, her voice was now barely audible against the gentle breeze.

He gazed at her for a while, "Are you alright now?" he asked finally.

Her answering smile was weak but genuine, "I am. It actually feels much better after I had cried it all out."

Nodding in response, he got up and held out a hand to her, "Let's head back, I'm sure your limo would be here by now."

Her hand was cold and she revelled at how warm his hand was. She could not help but realise how small hers was in comparison to his.

Peace.

That was what she felt.

There was peace after her emotional storm and turmoil- and somehow, she felt as if he was part of her anchor, by being there with her when she cried, without a word, with an endless amount of patience. He did not try to console her; nor did he bombard her with questions. He was merely there with her, and though she did not know until the end, she was grateful for his presence.

He walked her to the front gates and said, "I'll see you tomorrow, Akino."

She gave him a soft smile and squeezed his hand gently, "See you tomorrow, Ootori."

* * *

**The ninth chapter! *cheers***

**I don't know why but Eri's emotional breakdown scene was not what I had in mind for this chapter. I had actually planned for this chapter to be the one where they went to the amusement park. But well, I hope it turned out okay.**

**A great big thank you to those who kept reviewing on this story- you guys are truly my motivation! As well as all those who followed and favourited this story as well. I'm really glad you liked my story- which I know is very different from the usual on this website. I like to think that instead of making my story merely a 'Japanese anime fanfic', my writing would give all of you a feeling of reading a story of real life- something you can all identify with. A 'realistic approach' as I had mentioned in my first chapter.**

**Again, thank you.**

**PS:Happy Fathers' Day to all the fathers out there!**


	10. Chapter 10- Perhaps

Chapter 10- Perhaps

Eri gazed at herself in the mirror with a thoughtful expression. It was seven in the morning and she was getting ready to go to the amusement park. She hadn't had the least idea of what to prepare or wear and had to ask for help from her maids. Looking at herself, she tugged at her simple black blouse and jeans and frowned slightly. It was... weird, for the lack of a better word, to be dressed so casually and so... commoner-like but the servants had assured her again and again that what she was wearing now was the most appropriate attire for an amusement park. "You wouldn't want to wear a dress when you're on a roller coaster, Eri-sama. It would be such a disgrace... not to mention, embarrassing." one of them had said.

Sighing, she walked over to her nightstand and picked up her handphone. She paused.

Her father had called yesterday night- much to her surprise. It wasn't often that he had the time to do so. And normally, Minori-nii san was their middleman.

_"Hello?"_

_"Ah, my dear Eri, how have you been?"_

_When her father's deep voice came through the speaker, Eri almost dropped the phone. "Papa?" she asked, her eyes widened considerably._

_Her father had chuckled at her __shock, "Yes, it's me, dear girl. What? Can an old man not be able to call his own daughter whenever he wants?"_

_The edges of her mouth twisted up into a small smile, "Says the old man who never calls. Of course you can, papa. So what's the purpose behind this call?" inspite of what her father said, Eri knew very well that her father never called without a reason or a purpose in mind. Joking aside, both of them knew- but it was something no one attempted to change. _

_Her father answered her with a clear of his throat, "Eri, you are now in your third-year, am I right?"_

_"Yes, papa."_

_"Have you considered which university you want to go yet?"_

_Eri stopped breathing for a second. Should she tell? _

_"...no. Not yet."_

_Her father sighed over the phone, "You should, Eri. Anyway, your mother and I have talked last week and we've narrowed down to a few schools of our choice. I've sent the informations to Minori so he should be giving that to you soon. Pick from those, Eri dear, they are the top business university from all over the world. Don't worry about the admission, you can enter whichever ones you choose. And preferably, you leave as soon as you graduate."_

_She bit her lip, her thoughts at war with herself. In the end, all she said was-_

_"Yes, papa. I understand."_

She shook her head slightly and muttered under her breath, "No. I will not think about that today."

And with that, she left.

* * *

She blinked.

Then blinked again.

Finally, she got out of her limo and stared up at the sign and breathed-

"Well, this is smaller than I had expected."

"At least it has more than twenty rides for them to enjoy- not to mention the diorama gallery with historical scenes,"

Eri looked towards the source of the familiar tenor voice and smiled, "Good morning, Ootori-kun."

Her classmate returned that gesture with one of his own as he continued to write in his note book, "Good morning to you too, Akino. You're early today." he commented after a while.

She shrugged and leaned against the wall of the entrance beside Kyoya as they waited for the rest to arrive. Turning her head slightly to the left, she let her eyes sweep over the facilities of the amusement park with an foreign feeling of excited contentment surfacing from her heart. For once, she felt as if she could pretend to be a child she never was for a day. Sometimes, she envied the commoners- they had time to have fun and enjoy life, despite everything. And they had a family to share their joy and sorrows. She forgot how many times she had watched from her hotel suite window every time she went overseas, at the people walking along the streets- parents holding tightly onto the hands of their young child; middle schoolers joking and fooling about; young men walking side by side, sometimes with an arm over the other's shoulders... she wanted that. She wanted that more than anything in the world.

But it was nothing more than a wishful fantasy.

About half an hour later, limos after limos began dropping the hosts and the guests one by one, all of them were wearing eager smiles and the girls were giggling away as they talked in excited whispers.

Suoh Tamaki and Fujioka Haruhi were the last to arrive, seeing as to how Tamaki needed to pick her up at her house. And with that, Kyoya closed his note book and clapped his hand to get the attention of the crowd-

"First of all, I would like to thank all of you on behalf of the host club for participating in this special outing. Please feel free to enjoy all the facilities in this park and feel free to ask for assistance from one of our hosts if you have any problems. Now we're beginning our activities by playing a game," he paused as he let his words sink, "Balls of different colours are hidden in all parts of this park, each ball has a name of a host written on it. Your task is to find a ball within one hour and the host whose name is written on that ball will escort you through the park for one hour. There's a limited amount of balls so please look hard." He pulled out his stopwatch as the doors open, "You may start... now."

Eri fell behind the frantic crowd and scanned her surroundings. She had no interest in joining their game- to her, it was meaningless.

"Is your name on one of the balls, Ootori-kun?" she asked curiously as she glanced at the dark haired youth walking silently beside her.

He chuckled somewhat darkly, "_As if! _Tamaki was the one who suggested this- let him deal with it himself."

She felt herself grin involuntarily, "I see. So since you're free, what do you feel like doing?"

"...you're unusually lively today." and relaxed.

"It's just that I've never been to an amusement park before," but then she stopped walking, "Is that a bad thing?"

Her uncertainty was apparent on her face, her pale blue eyes unsure. It was something that he saw made the Ootori reply, "No. It's not bad."

And it definitely was not.

Everyone of them deserved to be happy no matter how short-lived it would be.

* * *

It was amusing to watch Tamaki lamenting for his lost of his 'precious time with dear, sweet Haruhi' after he finished being an escort for three of the girls who managed to find his ball. Haruhi had two; Hitachiin Kaoru had one while his twin brother had two also; Honey had one, as well as Mori. Eri finally understood what Kyoya had meant when he said that Tamaki would have to 'deal with it'.

That was beside the point now, however.

Eri stood outside the haunted house, having an internal debate if she should go in herself... or not. If there was one thing- one _flaw_ she had, it was her nature to be scared easily. Especially in the dark. She hated darkness and if she really had to be in one, a torchlight was always close at hand. But she _was_ curious about what was inside this so-called haunted house. Some of them had went in and came out squealing and screaming for their lives; some had paled and seemed almost faint; some had came out as though the experience was nothing at all...

She pulled out her cellphone and glanced at the time.

It was time for lunch.

"If you really want to go in, I'd suggest that you have your lunch first."

Sighing defeatedly, she followed behind the Ootori that had appeared beside her again after three hours, "Might as well," she murmured, "Where did you go just now?" she asked him softly as she picked up her pace to match his.

He readjusted his glasses, making them gleam just for a moment under the sun, "Making sure everything's ready for tonight," then seeing her puzzled look, he explained, "Tamaki wanted to end this trip with fireworks. That idiot really knows how to cause inconvenience- with all his spontaneous and ridiculous 'brilliant' ideas."

She laughed lightly at his finishing grumble and caught sight of said blond youth, who was clinging onto Haruhi with his famous puppy-eyes while pointing to the Merry-go-round. Her classmate followed her line of sight and let out a breath exasperatedly. "How embarrassing."

Kyoya led them to a table that was set up specifically for them. Lunch was- as said earlier- commoner's bento.

Eri chewed on the simple sushi thoughtfully. It really wasn't _that_ bad... And they had rice with simple minced meat too.

They ate together in silence with her eyes drifting towards him now and again.

"... say, Ootori-kun,"

"Yes?"

"Could you- I mean, would you..." she trailed off, "No, never mind."

He set his chopsticks down and turned to face her, wordlessly telling her to continue what she was going to say.

"Would you," she whispered, her voice barely audible among the muted chatters going on all around them- "Enter the haunted house with me?"

He blinked, mildly surprised at her request. Of everything he had thought she would say, this was not one of them. Needless to say, however, he couldn't find it in himself to deny her simple request and _that_, perhaps, was what stunned himself the most. If- _if_, she was Tamaki, he would have outrightly smacked him in the face with his notebook... but she wasn't.

It was strange to see her acting like a normal seventeen-year-old. Even more so to see the excitement barely concealed behind her eyes. And he just knew, somehow, that he was not able to say no.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt if I do."

Her answering smile of gratitude was blinding.

* * *

The moment she stepped into the haunted house, Eri knew she regretted her decision... immensely.

Everything was so dark, so eerily silent, so deathly still... and, it might be purely psychological, but she could _feel_ gusts of chilling wind blowing out from within the house. She took a small step backwards and bumped into Kyoya who was right behind her.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"It's alright," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Though, I have to ask, if you're so frightened, why did you want to come in in the first place?"

She bit her lip and gave him a tiny smile, "I was... curious."

"...I see."

He sighed and took the lead, walking a step ahead of her. Looking at their surroundings, he had to say that they did quite a good job with the set ups. The cobwebs and burning candles, as well as cracked mirrors and ancient oil paintings contributed to the bone-chilling atmosphere. Weird noises came through the walls, and for a second, he wondered where they had placed the speakers.

A tug brought him out of his musings. He looked down and saw a hand gripping the edge of his sleeve, its knuckles white, its form trembling. Gazing towards the owner of the hand, he saw that the girl was no better. Her regret was the most dominant expression on her face and her fright was a close second.

"Curiosity kills the cat," he said suddenly, getting her attention. But before she could reply, his hand gently pried away her fingers from his sleeve and held that hand firmly in his. Pulling her along, he began walking at a faster pace than before, intent on leading her out of the house before she went into a panic-attack.

Just as they neared the exit, however, a white figure sprung out at them out of nowhere and he heard her suck in a sharp breath and tighten her grip on his. The figure wore a white floor-length night gown, though the trains of it was stained in red. It had long, black, dead-looking hair that covered it's face and from what they could see, it's chin was cracked and something black was oozing from them...

"Now, if you'll excuse us,"

That was all Kyoya said, and that was all it took to dispel the horror of the situation. It was obvious that the 'ghost' itself was stupefied.

He cooly led her out of the house and as they finally stood under the sun's warm heat, the absurdity of the whole scene came back to them full-forced. They laughed.

Eri held onto her side as she sniffed and wiped away her tears- the residue of her fear but mostly of amusement. At last she straightened her pose and said, "Thank you, Ootori-kun. It was actually fun... though I promise to never set foot in one of those again."

They stuck together for the rest of the day. Most of the time, she would be the one going onto the rides while he waited for her at the exit. Roller-coasters, pirate ship, double shot, thriller car, parody museum and et cetera. She had fun- more fun than she'd ever had since the day she was born.

When the sun began to set and the clock read seven-thirty, it was time for the major event of the day. The fireworks. Though it would not be as nice as it would be at night, none of them minded.

The girls and the hosts gathered at the square of the park, waiting for the show to start. And while they were busy, Eri nudged her partner for the day discreetly. She motioned him to lower his head and whispered something into his ear. She pointed at something to their right and he nodded with an unreadable expression.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Fujioka Haruhi glanced around at the crowd gathered and furrowed her brows, "Tamaki-senpai, where is Kyoya-senpai?" really, what was with him and his disappearing act recently?

Her boyfriend craned his neck and shook his head, "I don't know. Hikaru, Kaoru, have you seen him?"

The twins turned, each with a takoyaki (octopus ball) in their mouths-

"Don't know." they chorused before turning away again.

Honey chimed in right then, "He's with Ri-chan!"

"What?"

"We saw him walking away with Ri-chan five minutes ago, didn't we, Takashi?"

"...yeah."

The twins exchanged a look and their infamous cheshire grins formed on their faces-

"Is it just us," said Hikaru.

"Or do we really," continued Kaoru in a sly manner.

"Smell love in the air?" they said in unison.

All of the hosts looked at each other, some with wide eyes; while most had an almost knowing look. Perhaps it was too early to talk about love, especially when it came to Kyoya. But it was surfacing... one way or the other.

And they were looking forward to it.

* * *

They sat on the opposite sides in a capsule, in complete ease as a comfortable silence blanketed them.

"We'll have the best view here, won't we?" Eri said, her eyes fixed upon the setting sun on the horizon.

Kyoya hummed in agreement, his hand was free of his note book for once. His dark eyes were gazing out at the other side. Then he glanced at his watch and told her, "It's time."

And just as he finished speaking those two words, a loud bang sounded, followed by a blinding flash of light. Eri turned and positioned herself comfortably against the seat.

Flashes of red, yellow, white, green, orange, blue, purple, and silver flashed across the sky in intricate designs, some lingering longer than the others. It was short-lived, but as brief as it was, it brought joy to anyone who witnessed it.

That was the beauty of the fireworks.

Short, but engraved into the memories.

She turned and opened her mouth to say something but her words stilled in her throat when her eyes met his intense grey. Time ceased and the loud bangs of fireworks faded into the background.

She stared into his eyes and lost herself for a moment in them.

Even through his glasses, she could see them clearly. It did not scare her, in fact, it was the opposite. His eyes calmed her. They held a look of knowing and understanding, sometimes it was filled with cold calculation, sometimes power and control seeped through them... but no matter what she saw in those grey, she felt a strange sense of comfort.

Slowly, her lips curled up into a smile. Wordlessly.

He gave her one of his own, just a mere tilt at the corners. He understood.

Perhaps something more would come... but who cares?

They were living in the moment.

* * *

**There you go, the tenth chapter!**

**I have to say, I did some research on the amusement park and can't really find anything useful. So I'm sorry to say that the things I have written in the park might not be all accurate. But well, this _is_ a story... *shrugs***

**This chapter is one of the longest I've ever written and it had taken me about five hours to write them so I hope you've enjoyed it. I did ^_^**

**I have been wondering, whether or not to ****incorporate some of the scenes from the final book of the manga into my story... what do you think? **

**I don't own Ouran; all original characters and scenes are mine.**

**And here, I want to thank all my reviewers, followers, and those who have added my story to their favourites. Thank you, for all your encouragements! **

**Thank you all for your patience as well!**


	11. Chapter 11- Why

Chapter 11- Why

"So how was your day?"

Eri looked up from where she was taking off her shoes and smiled, "It was wonderful. I had so much fun- I never knew it was possible!"

Minori took in her radiant expression with a smile of his own, "I'm glad." he said quietly. And he was. It was the very first time since being here that he saw an expression that should _have _been there if she had not been born into their world. Childhood was something all of them lacked- and it was the very thing many of them had wished they had. Most grew up cold and bitter, indifferent to the world... Perhaps that was why so many had turned out to be so self-centred, so selfish and greedy... But-

His grasp on the folder he was holding tightened.

Maybe this was the last time he would see that smile on her for a long time.

"Is anything the matter, nii-san?"

"Eri," he hesitated.

This was one of those times when he wished that he wasn't the one his uncle placed in charge of his daughter. He knew Akino Hiroto had always desired for his daughter to be his heiress, and that Eri's path was already set in stone the moment she was born... Only, he hadn't thought about the possibility of him being the one who had to practically push the girl onto it. Could he do it? To take away the smile she had just gained? Perhaps it wasn't time yet, perhaps he could hold onto this damned folder for just a little longer... perhaps-

"What is it, Minori nii?"

She was feeling rather worried now. It wasn't often that her cousin would behave so- and it certainly was rare that he would suddenly trail off in front of her. Had something gone wrong? His work? Her father?

Wordlessly, he held out the folder which she accepted, puzzled. "What is this?" she asked him.

"The list of top business universities your father sent me to give you."

Her heart stopped and her eyes grew wide.

He watched helplessly as she paled. Always, always he had known- had felt that Eri shouldn't belong to their world. She was too good, too tenderhearted to avoid heartaches in this cunning and ruthless world of theirs. Business and politics. Two of the most complicated and dangerous things in the world. She did not deserve the hardships that were to come. He never wished- though he had years to warm up to that idea- for her to be burdened just as he always felt. The endless nights in the office; the caution and alertness that had to be present wherever he went; the awareness of every action and words; the mistrust that came whenever he talked with business partners and new clients... it was all a game of cat and mouse- a never ending circle of eating and being eaten. The strongest among them wins.

She lowered her head and her bangs covered her eyes. If it weren't for her white knuckles and slight tremor betraying her, she would have almost seemed too calm and indifferent. "I understand," she said, barely above a whisper, "I'll choose one when I have time."

Pushing pass him, Eri headed straight towards her room, shut her door, and flung herself onto bed. Exhausted. Numb. All the happiness and joy that she had felt just hours ago seemed so far away.

The folder slid from her bed and dropped to the floor with a dull thud. And it stayed there for the rest of the night.

* * *

Everything changed since that night. Nothing was the same.

Even Hayashi Mayu who had came back from the States a few weeks ago.

The regular customer of the host club had not went to the meeting once... at all. She smiled, she talked, and she laughed with her friends in class- but she was different. Something had caused a change within her. Something that caused her to return home once the final school bell rung. Yet, it did not seem as if she was looking forward to returning home- it almost felt as if she _dreaded_ to.

Both girls had not the time for each other. The only interaction they had was their initial greeting. And even that seemed to be ages ago.

They drifted apart.

Not that they were close in the beginning.

Eri still went to the host club, still helped Kyoya whenever he needed her. But somehow, an untold distance grew between her and the world surrounding her. It wasn't her intention to shut people out- but she couldn't help it. Her mind was plagued and nightmares of the night had free reign to torment her. Her world was on the verge of breaking... No. In fact, her world had shattered since her father's last phone call. Everything she had believed was true, everything she had held on to... they were gone. She was too naive. She was wrong.

Eri's eyes were unfocused as they stared blankly at the page of her novel. All the noise around her had faded till they were just something in the background. Her mind was working overtime, one thought followed by the next like a whirlwind. In the midst of it's chaos, one word remained clear-

Harvard.

Her father hadn't waited for her to decide. In fact, just two and a half weeks after Minori had given her the list, a letter of acceptance had been sent to her home. Her father had called her just as she was staring dumb-foundedly at the letter in hand.

_"Hello,"_

_Eri could hardly recognise her own voice. _

_Void. Lifeless. Stunned. So many emotions merged as one._

_"Eri, it's me."_

_Her lips moved before her mind could think-_

_"Papa."_

_Her father cleared his throat over the phone, "Have you received the letter from Harvard yet, Eri?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Good. Harvard's Business School is the best in the world. You would fare well over there..."_

_She had tuned her father out until the concluding few words that wrecked another havoc of its own-_

_"...and I would highly suggest that you leave Japan before the __school year ends. I have had everything prepared for you over there, don't worry."_

The phone call had been one-sided and brief. Eri forgot how she managed to hang up, or how she ended up in bed. Everything was a blur.

And it was only then that she saw the truth.

There never was a choice.

She had believed in a lie that her family would at least be different.

She was so wrong.

She had foolishly believed in her own lie.

Was anything she grew up believing true?

She did not know anymore.

What would be next? Her marriage? Her future partner? It wasn't impossible after all. When her father had given her the list, he had simply been giving her a facade of a choice when in reality, everything had already been decided. Would that happen with her choice of a lifelong partner? Would he tell her to choose for herself and then pop a fiancé out of nowhere?

For a second, she felt betrayed.

She let out a sudden breath and blinked. Momentarily confused when she saw a hand waving frantically in front of her face. The boyish face that appeared behind the hand had a worried look of concern.

"Are you alright, Ri-chan?" Haninozuka Mitsukuni asked. It was the first time he was seeing her since that day at the amusement park. When Hikaru and Kaoru had accidentally mentioned her state through the phone the night before, the senior made up his mind to come no matter what.

After his classes in the Ouran University department had ended, he had pulled Takashi along with him back to the High School division. He was worried. In a way, he had accepted her as a part of the host club- and as someone who had the potential to grow into someone truly important to Kyoya.

Yes. He and Takashi believed that she would eventually become that _someone_ for Kyoya. They were not the oldest in the Host Club for no reason.

Yet, when he opened the door and saw the young girl sitting by herself in a corner with that depressed and worn out look in her dulled eyes, he knew all was not well.

However, somewhere deep down inside him, he recognised that look.

That look of utter hopelessness trying to live up to the standards set up by others.

That look he had when he was forced to be someone he was not- when he was force to lock away his Usa-chan (his stuffed rabbit), to stop eating sweets, and to start acting like a mature adult- the dojo master everyone expected him to be.

Whatever it was, he knew she needed someone to pull her out of it.

Just as Tamaki had pulled him out of his pit.

It wouldn't be easy, neither would it be smooth. Going against expectations needed courage and support.

Just like that, they stared into each other's eyes without speaking. He saw her doubt and desperation; she saw his understanding and empathy. Without a word, he had gotten his message across: that she had an ally in him.

Moist filled her eyes and a stray tear fell.

It had been the first time in weeks had she felt the soothing caress of comfort. For so many weeks, she had been fighting along, struggling not to drown. The others had not understood- they had not cared- and even if they did, they did not know why... She did not understand why something she had known would happen all her life would cause her to become like this. She had always known her father wanted her to be his heir- that she was the only one in the family who bore his name. She _had _known. Yet when it really came she despaired.

But maybe... just maybe, it wasn't the fact that she had to take up her responsibilities as an heiress that bothered her so much.

No. Now that she thought of it, it wasn't the case at all.

Her state was all caused by her being deprived of a _choice_. If her father had given her time to cool down and think over it, maybe she would have relented- no matter how much she hated it.

She never wanted to be the heiress.

She didn't want the money that been the cause of disintegration of so many families. How many times had one failed because he gave into his greed? How many people had cheated, stomped over others, just in order to climb up to the top of the pyramid? How many children had never had the chance to meet their parents all because they had a business to take care of- not that it was wrong but- no matter what, a child's dearest dream was to have a normal family. How many had grown cold and hard? How many had forsaken their moral? How many?

All she ever wanted was peace, friends to spend time and laugh with without worrying of being stabbed in the back... and the simpleness in life she had seen in the commoners.

They could comfort one another in times of grieve and sorrow; they could share and want nothing in return; they could throw their heads back and laugh... they were free!

She had wanted to see Kuroda Saki after that incident- she had wanted to offer her presence.

But even that, she was denied of.

Why was reputations so important? Why was everything more important than humanity?

Why?

Eri looked into the eyes of the boy- now young man- who had secretly seen through it all behind his childish exterior. He understood; and that was all she could wish for...

"Thank you, senpai."

-was her broken whisper.

* * *

When your world suddenly comes crashing down on you, sometimes all you need is an understanding heart.

* * *

**The eleventh chapter! **

**For those expecting to see Kyoya in this chapter, sorry 'bout that. As I typed, this was what came out. It's such a drastic change of mood, isn't it? Conflicts, conflicts. A story wouldn't be a story without them. XD**

**Again, I want to thank all my reviewers and those who added my story to their favourites, as well as those who followed this story. ^_^**

**I do not own Ouran; all OCs, original plots and scenes are mine. **

**Till next time~**


	12. Chapter 12- Family

**So, I have some things to clarify before I start this chapter.**

**Firstly, I know that Eri may appear naive and weak in the previous chapter but that wasn't my intention. She _isn't _weak- if she was, she wouldn't have survived (figuratively speaking). The only 'fault' she had was that she believed that her family is different- she is just a girl who trusted in her parents. Sure, she had always known that she would be heir. It's like going for an exam on the subject you don't like. You don't like it, but you will still study for it and go through with it. It was the lie and pretence of a choice her father gave and then taking it away that made her feel betrayed. It had her doubting if anything she believed was ever true- or just another lie. **

**Being an ****18-year-old, I believe I still know well the workings of a 17-year-old mind. **

**In truth, some of her emotions was what I was feeling.**

**Through it all, Eri will grow. But then, who knows what will happen in the future.**

**Secondly, this chapter will have some scenes from the final book of the manga. The time frame of everything will be very different, but *shrugs* it will work out... I hope. XD**

**And also, I've read the manga about a dozen time so please, if you see anything that is different, rest assured that I did that on purpose. **

**Enjoy~**

* * *

Chapter 12- Family

"... you may officially leave this school whenever you want. I wish you all the best, Akino-san."

Eri hugged the brown envelope close to her chest and bowed slightly, "Thank you, Chairman Suoh."

Suoh Yuzuru sat behind his desk, flipping over the pages in front of him with a thoughtful look in his eyes. Finally pausing at a page, he gazed at the girl in the chair opposite him with both hands under his chin as he contemplated his next sentence.

Akino Eri was- in fact- one of the students in Ouran that made a name for herself among the staffs not because of her parents place in society but her works. He had always found her to be quite interesting whenever he had to read the reports the teachers submitted monthly, updating all progress and informations of the students. He recalled having heard Tamaki mentioning her once or twice during their recent growing conversations. It wasn't often that his son spoke of someone other than Fujioka Haruhi, he did notice, however, that whenever he did, Ootori Kyoya's name was never too far behind. Idly, Yuzuru wondered if Yoshio knew about it.

"Now, Akino-san, I believe you know the hosts fairly well, do you not?"

Eri blinked at the unexpected question, "I only know what they let me know, Suoh-san."

"That's good enough," he said with a wave of his hand, "So you must know that Fujioka Haruhi is a brilliant student- which, of course, is how she was qualified to be enrolled into this school."

She nodded, uncertain of where this conversation was going.

The chairman offered her an assuring smile, "Don't be so tensed, what I want to say is that you may not be alone when you decide to leave."

"What?"

The chairman smiled and got up.

* * *

Absent-mindedly doodling on her note book, Eri tuned out the teacher who was correcting one of her classmate's homework.

She still found it surreal that one month from today, she would no longer be sitting in a high school classroom, wearing a uniform, speaking Japanese. The medium-sized mansion her father bought for her was all ready and furnished, with servants and a butler already there awaiting her arrival. All that she needed to do when the time came was to bring herself onto a plane.

Minori nii-san, though, she reflected silently, had seemed busier than usual these past few weeks. Even when he came down for dinner, he hardly stayed long enough for them two speak more than two sentences.

Her eyes refocused and at the sight of the words she had written unconsciously, she stilled. Slowly, her fingers edged towards the centre of the book and gripping the page, she tore it away, as quietly as she could without anyone else noticing it. Then crumbling the piece of paper, she threw it into her bag and sighed. A small white triangle stood out among the books in her bag and she stared at it for a long time.

Her resignation letter as a librarian.

That was the last loose end she had to tie before leaving.

Seeing the letter, it felt so final and... _done. _Finished. Over.

When the bell finally rang, signalling the end of the day, she let out a slow breath.

Just thirty more days.

Walking down the hallways, Eri let her eyes roam her surroundings. It was strange. How people start to notice things that seemed so insignificant only when they realise that their time of departure is nearing.

Her rhythmic footsteps echoed through the long passageway. Every corner seemed to remind her of something in the past three years... She could almost see her younger self passing by. Memories. Precious moments. Scenes flashed through her mind continuously.

Only then did she come to a realisation: She had loved this place, this school. It was where she belonged. She paused in her tracks as that revelation sunk... She never thought it was possible, for her to feel that sense of belonging anywhere. She did not feel it in her home, she did not feel it among her relatives, yet, when she finally found it here, it was time to go.

Life could be so ironic.

* * *

"Haruhi, are you going to tell them your news today?"

The brown eyed host turned to look at her boyfriend, "About me going abroad?" she asked, "Yes, I am."

Suoh Tamaki ran a hand through his golden hair, "That might be the best thing to do," he sighed, "You didn't tell the twins yet?"

"No. You are the only one."

Then as sudden as his serious side appeared, the silly him took over, "Really, Haruhi? Ah~ I am so touched! My darling sweet honey did not keep any secrets from me! She trusts me with her life! And for that, my darling princess, I will honour your trust, for the rest of my insignificant life."

Haruhi felt her temples throb as she slapped away the hand that held hers. What did she do to deserve this? Why must she end up falling for this flamboyant half-ie (half French- half Japanese)?

_'Tengoku no okaa-san, this is my boyfriend...'_

* * *

Eri pushed open the door leading into the third music room just in time to hear a chorus of-

"What?! Haruhi-kun is going overseas? To Boston for a year?!"

She winced and rubbed her ears at that loud sound and made her way a lot more quickly than usual to her spot by the window. Setting down her bag, she turned to watch the commotion happening in the middle of the room.

"Are you stupid?! Boston is basically a countryside!" Hikaru was yelling.

"You should've gone to a more exciting city like Las Vegas or Beverly Hills!" exclaimed his twin.

"Actually, I've heard that the schools in that city is perfect for studying abroad," came Haruhi's calm and collected reply, "And I'm going there to study, why do I need to go to an exciting city?"

"That's not the point!" the twins cried, "And even if you want to study abroad, can't you just do it after high school?!"

"Actually, I've been thinking about that too, and my father also offered to pay the expenses but..." she paused as her eyes held a far-away look, "To do now would be completely free..." she trailed off as the twins pulled Tamaki to the side and began a heated argument.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" that familiar tenor voice sounded by her ears.

Eri glanced towards her classmate with a small smile, "I did. The chairman had told me earlier today. And-" she hesitated, biting her lower lips, "I'm going too."

He remained silent for a while, his pen scratching calmly across his note book. Eri looked away uneasily... Maybe she shouldn't have dumped the information on him so suddenly.

"I know."

Her eyes snapped back to his face and all she could manage was-

"How?"

Kyoya closed his book and for the first time, his gaze met hers, "Our fathers were talking last week and your father mentioned of his plans for you."

Their fathers? Talking?

Eri blinked and involuntarily ignored the second half of that sentence-

"About what?" As far as she knew, their families had little to no business relation with one another.

"Us. Apparently."

At his answer, she felt totally bewildered. "Us?" her voice was an octave higher than it usually was, though it remained soft, "What about us is there to talk about?"

Kyoya pushed his glasses higher up on the bridge of his nose, "Somehow my father had came to know that I'm friends with you. And he may or may not have certain... _ideas_." At her wide eyes, he added, "I told him off for now. Needless to say, he was unexpectedly pleased to know that I've made an _acquaintance _of the future heir of the Akino Corporation."

"But your family and mine run a completely different line," she protested weakly, "The Ootori Medical and my family's corporation have nothing in common."

"Your father had shown a sudden interest of investing in a new medical research some of my family's top researchers are doing at the moment."

"Oh."

She didn't know what to think.

Was this the reason for Minori nii-san's business? What was the reason behind all these?

A small part of her realised another thing. The knowing look the Ootori sometimes wore for the past week finally made sense. So he _had_ known... somehow, she wasn't surprised.

Questions without answers flooded her mind and she vaguely heard Kyoya speaking to the clients about the host club holding a farewell party for Haruhi and special items on sale.

The rest of the hosting hours were filled with tears from the girls and Haruhi being flocked from on all sides. The girls were reluctant to leave when time was up; they did not want their favourite host to go, though, they did understand her (or in their case, 'his') reasoning.

When the last of the clients were gone, Haruhi gazed at her friends and smiled, "I know my decision might seem sudden," she began, speaking to the twins, "But it's all thanks to you that I've been able to make up my mind. Thanks to everyone of you here, my world has expanded in such a way I've never thought possible. And it's not just all of you, my classmates and friends, and every guests in this club..." she paused, "Tamaki-senpai, Kyoya-senpai, for this reason, I don't want to leave keeping a secret. So... is it possible for me to reveal everything to everyone?"

All of them stared at her before beautiful smiles broke out on their faces.

Eri watched them from where she still sat with a smile of her own.

This host club truly felt like a family.

Even an outsider like her could feel that.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a slight movement. Seeing that it was Kyoya motioning her to go over, she stood up and went.

"Yes, Ootori-kun?"

Kyoya flipped the pages of his note book, "Are you free next Saturday?"

"I am. Why?"

"The farewell party," he said, "And with Haruhi wanting to reveal her true gender, that party would be just the right event," his brows creased for a moment, "Though I have to say, the risk we are taking for this particular exposure is high. It's either the customers end up being accepting and supporting her all the more; or they get angry and decide to walk away."

"But it's a risk you're willing to take, right?" she finished for him.

His hand paused it movement before resuming at a lighter pace. He let out a silent chuckle, "It's a risk all of us are willing to take."

"And?" she prompted, "What does that have to do with my being available for the party?"

His gaze was serious when he looked at her, "I need your help to plan the event. Especially with our main goal of the night-"

"An outsider's point of view," she said, recalling with a faint smile about the first day she decided to visit this club, "Alright then, I'll see what I can do."

With that, she picked up her bag and started walking towards the door.

"Akino,"

She stopped, waiting for him to continue.

"I'm glad you're alright."

Her eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat. Warmth fluttered within her and she turned, with genuine gratitude and friendship- or maybe it was something neither of them knew yet- shining in her face-

"Thank you, Ootori."

* * *

**So there you have it, the twelfth chapter!**

**And apparently, my geography-idiocity came out during the last chapter. Okay. So. Harvard is in Boston, ****Massachusetts and Boston are practically the same place... I hate geography. XP**

**The next chapter will be on the party.**

**Thanks to all those who reviewed, favourited, and followed this story!**


	13. Chapter 13- Masquerade

Chapter 13- Masquerade

Eri sealed the last of the boxes and yawned. Though she did not, in fact, need to bring anything over to the States with her, she hadn't wanted to part with some of her books. So as the result, she ended up packing a third of books from her personal library. Though Minori nii-san had mentioned that she could have just bought another whole new set of books when she reached there, she didn't want to. It just wasn't the same.

Sitting down in the ancient but sturdy rocking chair by the mantlepiece, she played back the conversation she had with her cousin two nights ago-

_"Say, nii_-san,"

_"Yes_, _Eri?"_

_She poked the beef steak on her plate with the tip of her forks as she mulled over her question, "Are the Ootoris our newest business partner?" _

_Hatano Minori had stopped eating almost immediately. His eyes were tense and strained, but they also held worry and... determination? _

_"How did you know that, Eri?" _

_She shrunk back slightly in her seat at his serious voice, "Ootori Kyoya mentioned it to me a few days ago. He said papa is investing in some research..." he also mentioned about herself and her dark haired friend- but she wasn't going to tell him that. If- if he __didn't already know- perhaps he was even the one who told her father that Ootori and she had became friends- she didn't blame him, though. He was doing his job, and her father would have known sooner or later anyway._

_"Was that all he told you?"_

_Was there more? _

_"Yes."_

_He sighed tiredly, "Firstly, Eri, yes. The Ootoris are our business partner now. Your father has already begun sponsoring some of their hospital equipments as well as providing financial support for their newest research- Don't ask me the reason, Eri, please."_

_"How-"_

_"It's in your eyes," he smiled weakly, "Don't ask the reason, Eri. I don't wan't to lie to you."_

_There was an uncomfortable silence as the both of them got lost in their own thoughts. Eri placed her eating utensils down, her appetite lost as her stomach churned. _

_"Is it anything bad?"_

_"Eri-"_

_"Nii-san," her pale blue eyes were earnest, pleading, "The way you say it, it's as though something bad happened. What is it? Is it mother?"_

_"No. Your mother is fine," he assured, paused, and continued, "Everyone is fine. Your father merely wanted to extend the family business."_

_"Everyone is fine?"_

_"Yes," Minori said, gazing straight at her eyes, "Everyone is fine, Eri. Don't worry."_

_She looked deep into his eyes and felt her heartbeat slow into its regular tempo. As long as everyone was okay, nothing was in her concern anymore. It also made sense, about her father's wanting to broaden the family's business range. After all, it was safe to say that Akino Hiroto was a very ambitious man._

Eri shook her head, "Now I really should stop thinking so much," she murmured. Getting up, she called for her butler and told him to airmail her books to the States as soon as possible.

She half-heartedly greeted the servants that passed her by that evening as she made her way back to the bed room. In the back of her mind, she could almost hear a voice whisper, '_Just a few more weeks, and you won't be seeing all these familiar faces anymore.'_ Change was coming, and she didn't know if she should look forward to it... or not.

* * *

"Alright, everyone, listen up!"

Eri glanced over at Tamaki from where she stood slightly behind Kyoya's chair.

The both of them had been talking when Suoh Tamaki called for an emergency special meeting- without Haruhi- and had 'ordered' them to gather in the Third Music Room immediately after school. Eri had tried to slip away when her companion picked up his phone but he had stopped her. Despite her weak protest, Tamaki had been almost too eager and had readily invited her to their meeting as well. According to Kyoya, his blond friend had said-

_"She's part of our secret mission. She must be here."_

Secret mission? She had asked Kyoya with a lifted brow. All she had ever done was her suggestion-

_'If you want to reveal such a big secret, why not let the customers discover it themselves?'_

But apparently, that very question seemed to be their inspiration to hold a Masquerade Ball.

So now, here they were, seated around a table with Tamaki standing at the head of it- Eri had insisted to remain standing, finding it queer to sit along with them when she obviously did not belong. In fact, standing gave her an advantage of looking over her classmates shoulders at his note book- something no one ever had the advantage of doing. He did not mind her, however, she was the only one who he felt _safe_ enough to give access to his personal notes- seeing how the other hosts could sometimes blabber anything straight out without going through their brains.

"-tomorrow is the night of the goodbye party and the carrying out of the project we talked about. All of you need to handle everything carefully-"

Honey turned in his seat beside Kyoya and smiled innocently at Eri, "He sure has some big words to say, for someone who didn't do anything to help. Right, Ri-chan?"

Eri choked a little and pretended not to hear, all the while biting her inner cheeks, trying desperately not to laugh.

"-but just in case," continued an oblivious Tamaki, "Let's just review everyone's positions-"

"Say, Tono (your majesty), we have a question!" the twin said, interrupting Tamaki from continuing, "Do you really think that tomorrow will end well?"

"It _is_ kind of a big bet," Hikaru continued, "And if Kyoya-senpai's prediction goes wrong-"

"Then we'll just see when the time comes," came Tamaki's empty headed, careless reply.

The twins exploded, "Stop saying such irresponsible things!"

Tamaki sighed, turning serious and sensible all of a sudden, "You know, all this is because I want to believe... that the time Haruhi spent with all of us, and the days our guests continued to support us no matter what..."

"I have another thing to say," Kyoya interjected, "There is something our leader has to tell us. Please speak." he said, directing the last two words at his friend.

Tamaki blinked and the air-headed expression came onto his face again, "What?"

Kyoya gave a huge sigh at his idiocity; Eri laughed silently behind him.

"Tamaki here," he said, his temples throbbing with irritation, "has decided to go to Boston with Haruhi."

The other hosts blinked blankly.

What were they hearing?

Tamaki. Going. To. Boston. With. Haruhi?!

Just five seconds later, the twins pounced on Tamaki, berating him violently; Honey were closed to tears, hugging his Usa-chan and wailing to his cousin, "Is Tama-chan going to abandon us too? Are we really not that important anymore? It's not fair, I want to go with Haru-chan to Boston too!"; Mori's face was his usual neutral expression; Kyoya was back to writing in his note book calmly with Eri looking over his shoulder at his newest budget.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

She relished in the peaceful atmosphere as she trailed behind Kyoya. The meeting had finally ended somewhat messily half an hour ago- and Tamaki was still sobbing and sulking in his corner.

Her gaze drifted towards the back of his head. She couldn't help but marvel at how much had changed since her first participating in the host. One year ago, she would've ridiculed at the notion of becoming involved with the host club- despite of her curiosity, it just wasn't enough for her to pay a huge sum of money to be... flirted. But she was glad she went to that opening ceremony. The hosts were different- that much she had came to be certain of. One thing. Loyalty. She had seen that quality in all of them- had seen how they defended each other through thick and thin. In a sense, she was jealous of their bond. But she knew and accepted, as she always did, that she wasn't in their circle.

However, having what she had now was enough.

She had gained a friend in the Ootori; a sort of ally with Haninozuka-sepai; a polite understanding with Haruhi-san...

Really. It was more that what she could wish for.

She would not ask for too much... not if it could cost her to lose what she already had.

* * *

"You look lovely, Eri-sama."

Eri smiled a small smile at the maid who was helping her dress up, "Thank you, Itoe-san."

She gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her dress for that night was simple yet elegant navy blue floor length dress- the material was cool and soft, so smooth that she barely felt it. It was something Minori nii-san had gifted her when he came to know of the ball. It was a _'parting gift'_ as well as a final present he could give to Eri personally.

Picking up the mask- with the same colour as her dress, with pale blue glittering stripes- she fixed it onto her face. Then reaching up to check her hair once more- her maid had braided it and twisted it like a crown on her head- she left the room.

The hall was already packed with girls when Eri arrived. Instead of entering it along with the others, however, she went down the right corridor and went into a room that had a sign 'Keep out'- she recognised Tamaki's handwriting.

Most of the hosts were there, in their attires. Her eyes darted around the room swiftly and took note that only Suoh Tamaki was absent.

"Ri-chan!"

Honey's voice rang out from the left side of the room. The senior appeared in front of her in a flash, "You look so pretty tonight! Right, Takashi?"

"...yeah."

"Thank you, senpai." Her face turned a pale shade of red at the compliment.

Her eyes caught Kyoya's and she nodded at him in acknowledgment, which he returned.

He glanced at the clock on the wall and caught the attention of all of them, "Alright, it's time we move. Tamaki should be there waiting for us."

The hosts went out one by one, Eri stayed behind, tilting her head at Kyoya, "So, why did you ask me to come here, Ootori-kun?"

"When Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai brings Haruhi here later, I want you to follow them- then meet me here again. I have something to tell you."

She looked at him for a moment before inclining her head, "Okay." she said, as she went out the door he held open for her. While the rest of them walked on straight ahead, she took a turn which lead her towards the back entrance of the hall. After all, she wasn't the one who needed a grand entrance.

Entering just in time to hear Tamaki addressing the crowd, Eri remained where she stood in the corner.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming to join this party to celebrate with our scholarship student who is going abroad. It's a farewell party but our club's motto is always to provide entertainment for our guests. Therefore, the theme this time is- A Host Club Style Masquerade Ball!"

There was an answering squeal and the party began.

Eri watched, amused, as Haruhi was flocked almost immediately by the girls. It was quite a sight to witness- the bonds and interaction between the female host and her guests. Idly, she wondered how many had suspected the truth, or if all of them were ignorant of it.

Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she unconsciously tapped her fingers along with the beat of the waltz that was being played. She remembered the first ball she had attended, twelve years ago when she was five years old, it was also a masquerade ball-

_Eri clung to her mother's hand as she peered at the crowd at the foot of the stairs. _

_Her mother had taken time to dress her up in a fluffy white dress and had told her- "You will meet a lot of people today, Eri. They are your papa's business partners and I need you to be on your best __behaviour. Remember what your ethic teacher taught you? Good. Now come along, I'm sure you'll do well."  
_

_The adults seemed scary, to the opinion of a child, in their strange suits and masks. All of them held smiles, and little Eri did not like them at all. _

_"They're creepy," she whispered to herself._

_Her mother pushed her forward lightly and introduced her to the nearest couple, "It's a pleasure to meet you again, Mr and Mrs Kadokura. This is my daughter, Eri; Eri, this is your father's friend, Kadokura Ryo and his wife."_

_Eri bowed respectfully and said with a voice that would have made her ethic mistress proud, "Good evening, Mr Kadokura, Mrs Kadokura, I'm Akino Eri."_

_Mrs Kadokura had bent down to meet her eyes, "Good evening to you too, Eri-chan. You are such a pretty little thing, aren't you?" her smile was sickly sweet and Eri took a small step backwards as she continued, "Mari," the woman turned to her mother, "You must be so proud of her."_

_Eri noticed her mother's hands tightening on her shoulder-_

_"I am, Kadokura-san. Please, have a pleasant night."_

It wasn't until later that she understood the tenseness and uneasy feelings she had felt during that meeting for the very next day, she heard her father's voice thundering through the house-

_"How dare they?! After all I've done for them, how dare they do that unspeakable deed?!"_

_The Kadokuras had betrayed her father's trust. _

_Kadokura Ryo had been Akino Hiroto's 'friend' since high school. _

She blinked out of her reverie as a gust of wind blew across her and she gazed up to see Honey and Mori carrying Haruhi away from her stupefied dance partner.

She began making her way to the door along with them, but not before she heard Tamaki's announcement-

"Everyone, I'd like this time for us to have a small event. Everyone, please put on your masks. From now with the light a little lower, it will be quite hard for you to recognise everyone beside you. Among these people, I would like you to find someone, someone that will be away from Ouran for some time. The title of this game will be- The Real Identity of Fujioka Haruhi!"

Eri smiled as she walked back towards the room. She noticed that Kyoya was at the door just ahead of her and heard him say-

"Haruhi, I'm not someone who bets on a situation when I can't be sure of victory or defeat, but I think that for this time, I'll go along with Tamaki's opinion. I remember the incident from last year, when I heard that everybody knew about Tamaki's family issue, I had a feeling that it was possible, that the real desire of a fan is to find out as much information of her favourite host as she can. And maybe, if that was really true, probably all of them already know about your secret. And if they knew, and decided to keep silent, then..." he trailed off, but everyone knew what he was going to say.

Then they had accepted her for who she was and loved her all the same.

It was a bet, a risk.

The twins helped her with her make up and pushed her into the changing room to change. This time, Kyoya turned and saw the girl he was waiting for with a smile on her lips as she watched them fuss over their sole female member. He motioned for her to follow him, and again, she did so.

He led the both of them up a flight of stairs and emerged at the rooftop where they could see the view of the whole school. The hall was adjacent from where they were and they could vaguely hear the happenings inside.

She leaned against the railings and closed her eyes as the crisp night air hit her face where it was exposed. Waiting for him to speak.

She felt him move to her side and soon enough, he broke the silence-

"Is your final preparation done?"

Eri glanced up at the full moon and hummed her confirmation.

"Akino,"

She looked towards him, quietly waiting for him to continue,

"Tamaki and Haruhi might not be the only one who are going to Boston."

Her pale blue eyes widened behind her mask.

"The rest of us are going as well."

"Really?" she breathed.

He smiled down at her, "Really."

Slowly, a smile broke out on her face- radiant and genuine- "I'm glad," she said softly.

He chuckled, "I'm sure you are," There was something in his voice, something that made her unable to turn away from him. He took off his mask and reached out slowly to remove hers. She allowed him, unblinkingly staring into his dark eyes.

His eyes was soft as he gazed at her. With a hand holding both their masks, he lifted his other and trailed the back of his hand across her left cheek, "I hope you are," he corrected, his tenor voice gentle and quiet.

Pulling her gently towards him, he leaned his chin on top of her head and kept his arm around her shoulder.

She went willingly, automatically closing her eyes as she listened to the steady thump of his heart.

She didn't know what brought this on... but whatever this was, she liked it.

And just some distance away from them, on a balcony, Tamaki pressed his lips against the brown-haired girl.

...

Maybe it was impulse.

Maybe it was true emotions...

It may be whatever you think...

But maybe, they were still young.

...

Though.

Sometimes it was the young who felt more strongly than any others.

And what they are feeling might last... longer than anything else.

* * *

**Ah! The thirteenth chapter!**

**I really hope that all of you enjoyed the final scene! I enjoyed typing tremendously! ^_^ **

**About their father's arranging their future together, I'm not sure what I want them to plan yet. I won't say marriage, however, everything is far too soon for that. However. There might be a few surprises coming up.**

**All of you have been so supportive and I've really enjoyed reading all your reviews. **

**So. Tell me what do you think of their first hug? Sorry it's not a kiss though... it's too soon for that too. **

**Till next time~**

**~Lura ^_^**


	14. Chapter 14- Goodbyes

Chapter 14- Goodbyes

Eri stood silently outside the emotional crowd and watched on like a bystander as Haruhi and Suoh Tamaki bid farewell to their guests and schoolmates. Her lips were pursed into a thin line as the ruckus caused by the girls grew louder and louder with each passing second. Finally giving up, she walked off to a farther end of the hall and sat down on one of the chairs.

Crossing one leg over the other, Eri tapped her fingers on her knee, contemplating quietly in her mind.

Today was the day the brown haired girl was leaving to Boston along with the half-European classmate of Eri's. The other hosts were catching the midnight flight on Wednesday, unknown to the prior two as well as the rest of the school. She wondered how they would react when they were to find all of the hosts missing on that day- too bad she couldn't be there to see their reaction... after all, she herself was scheduled to leave on Tuesday.

"...I'll miss you. Come back soon..."

Her gaze landed on the young couple standing horizontally across from her. They couldn't be any more than thirty, and both were quite ordinary looking- one of those faces that would be forgotten once you passed them by. But Eri couldn't find it in herself to turn away- she watched as the young woman clung onto her lover so tightly it seemed to hurt, but the young man didn't seem to mind. She watched as the young man circled his arms around her and whispered sweet nothings into her ear. She watched as their lips met, not caring the onlookers.

She watched the truest form of love.

One without motives, one without gain.

But which was one filled with sweet, sacred promise.

Her heart thumped, the sound echoing faintly in her ears. And unknowingly, the edges of her mouth had twisted up into a small smile- albeit bitter, but also filled with good wishes towards the couple.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Haruhi's wandering gaze caught sight of the quiet senior sitting some distance away. She seemed to be in deep thoughts, with her honey brown head lowered. Turning and nudging her boyfriend, Haruhi whispered to him, "I'm going over to say goodbye to Akino-senpai."

Tamaki managed a nod before he was being whizzed away by the crowd again.

The younger girl excused herself from the circle of sobbing fans and heaved a relieved sigh as she made her way through the hall. Who knew such a small thing could cause such a commotion? But... she was one step closer to her dream as a lawyer, wasn't she?

Coming to a stop in front of the older girl, she wondered out of nowhere why wasn't she with Kyoya or even Honey and Mori-senpai. And, upon casting a glance over her shoulders, she found the rest of the hosts still engaged with Tamaki. A small frown made its way to her face. Somehow, she felt bad for this gentle senior being left out like this...

"Akino-senpai,"

Pale blue eyes met deep brown as the senior hummed in response.

Haruhi sat down beside her and held out her hand, "I guess this is a goodbye. It seems like yesterday- when you first came to the host club. I'm really glad I got to know you, you're the only normality I depend on most of the time," they laughed silently, "And," Haruhi continued, "To tell you the truth, senpai, you brought a change to this club," especially in Kyoya-senpai. Haruhi kept that last part to herself.

Eri's eyes softened considerably. Grasping the outstretched hand lightly, she said, "Thank you as well, Haruhi-san." But what she didn't say was that they would meet again... _very_ soon.

As the girl walked away, Eri held back another round of laughter as the young girl was grabbed into a tight big hug by her father.

...

When they left to board the plane, Eri caught Tamaki's eyes for a second. The blond gave her a wide grin.

She smiled.

What a surprise for them it would be.

But all of a sudden-

"Hold on for a second..."

Eri turned at that menacing low growl and blinked as the Hitachiin twins held onto a furious- exploding- father. Blood vessels were popping out from his head and his brows twitched-

"Why is that moron going with her?!" Haruhi's father was yelling, "Come down, you idiot! Give me back my Haruhi!"

The twins and Honey-senpai clung onto the angry man- "Papa-san, Ranka-san, calm down~"

The father ignored them-

"I _will_ remember this!I _will_ kill you if you dare to lay one finger on _my _daughter!"

The reaction of that speech was instant.

The hosts and Eri were puzzled when the girls began murmuring among themselves.

"A... daughter?"

"Does that mean that..."

"Haruhi-kun-"

"-is a-"

"_Girl_?"

"What?" Eri muttered involuntarily. Didn't they already know? Wasn't the masquerade ball held just for that sole purpose?

It was apparent that the other hosts were equally stupefied as well. The twins shuttered- "B-but you said you knew..."

The girls tilted their heads, "But that was about the fact that Haruhi-kun would look good in woman's clothes..."

The twins blinked dumbly- "And about supporting her too..."

"That's because we definitely support their forbidden love..."

The twins finally exploded- "But as fans won't you try to gather as much information about your host as possible?!"

"But Haruhi's condition is very poor so we thought it would be very rude!" the girls cried.

...

_What?_

...

* * *

Kyoya sighed heavily beside her.

All of the hosts plus Eri were now on Kyoya's limo heading towards school. The others already had their respective limos waiting for them at the school gates; Eri, however, was depending on the Ootori to take her home.

"I can't believe it..." Hitachiin Kaoru moaned to his twin.

"Neither could I," the other twin replied with a drooping head.

Eri stifled an amused smile-

In the end, the guests only thought that Haruhi was a really feminine boy... In all their calculations, it never occurred to them that this would happen. In fact, this scenario was the last one they would expect. It was simply... unthinkable.

"Say, Ri-chan," Honey said from his seat opposite hers, he hugged his Usa-chan close to his chest, "When we go to Boston, will you be there to pick us up?"

She shook her head, "I'm not sure, senpai. But I'll try." she added the last sentence upon seeing that downcast look on his face. They had a sort of kinship that she cherished. It was strange. That a year ago, she was only someone who observed them from a distance... In a way, she suppose she was blessed. Finally relenting to go to the Host Club was truly a decision she never regretted. They had let her feel the warmth she had so desperately wanted to feel all along... even if... it was temporary. She prayed that it was not.

"Akino-senpai, you'll be attending Harvard, won't you?"

"Yes, I will be. Why?"

"Well," said Hitachiin Hikaru.

"Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai are," continued his younger brother.

"-going there too." they finished together- as usual.

Eri's eyes snapped to the said two and an unspoken question formed on her face. The child-like face beamed, "Yep! We're going to Harvard just like you, Ri-chan. Right, Takashi?"

"Yes."

Eri didn't know why she was surprised. She shouldn't be. But perhaps it was because she did not really had the time to think- really think. She knew that all of the hosts would be going to the famous international high school there- the one Haruhi got in as an exchange student, but somehow or the the other, she had neglected the two eighteen-year-olds.

...But at least, she would have two familiar faces there for a year now.

For that, she was slightly comforted. And thankful.

* * *

On the way to the Akino residence, they were unfortunately caught in a heavy traffic. Kyoya was typing away on his laptop; Eri gazed out at the tinted window with a neutral expression.

Tomorrow would be the last day she would be going to Ouran. Eri tapped her chin thoughtfully- she was most certain that their form teacher would want her to say some sort of a farewell speech. Unlike the hosts' secret leaving, Eri's departure was going to be announced the first thing in class tomorrow morning- which was why even Tamaki was also ignorant about the fact- thought, she wondered why the chairman hadn't said anything to him.

Maybe ignorance was bliss?

She hid a small smile but it faded soon enough- sometimes, however, ignorance could be the very thing that destroyed a person.

They could never afford to be careless.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Eri peered over at the faces of her classmates, some of them for more then three years. The rays of morning sunlight shone in from the side, lighting up half of her face and giving her hair a golden hue.

Her pale blue eyes stared into the eyes of her classmates one by one, with a look so genuine that they unable to look away. It was a look that they had never seen before- not from this classmate of theirs that always placed herself on the sidelines.

Parting her lips, she gave them all a rare smile-

"So as all of you know, I'll be leaving for Boston tomorrow afternoon. And here, I am forced to give you all some cheesy goodbye speech," she paused, as laughter sounded throughout the room, "I know I have always seemed to be distant, indifferent, and sometimes cold; I know some of you might not have liked me; and I also know that some of you cared- deep down inside... just like me. It will always be my regret- that perhaps in my indifference, I have missed out an opportunity to have a friend- a true friend. But I couldn't be too careful, could I? This is the way we're taught, isn't it so? To be guarded, to be alert at all times. From time to time, I wonder: What would happen if we had casted all of that aside? What would have happened if we let the rivalries of our families be kept to the adults, where they belong? However, I know- it's not possible. We're born here, into this society, placed with this burden of responsibility that all of us have our own different share. And for that, I think coming to Ouran is one of the best choices my parents have ever made for me. Here, I've seen all of you- had the privilege to meet all sorts of people- I've seen how hard everyone works, and how to not see my life as being unfair. After all, we're all on the same boat, it seems.

"But while we may have our differences and guarded walls, I have seen teamwork. I have seen the unity. And I have seen the thin fragile bonds of friendship being formed throughout the years. I have seen shared tears and triumphant victories. And in a world like ours, I truly thank all of you for all these wonderful experiences. The future might be dark and uncertain but I'll cary this part of memory all the days of my life. This precious time in my life in this school would always be one of my ray of sunshine, and I hope that one day, I'll be able to look upon these days and smile and say, 'Hey, look, I was one of them too,'

"I'm proud to be a part of Ouran, I'm proud to be a part of this class, and most of all, I'm proud to be a part of all of you. One day, I wish that when we meet again, maybe for just a second, we'll be able to set aside whatever differences we have and say to each other 'Oh, it's you, my friend,' Maybe some of us would end up as enemies in the future, maybe some of us would end up as lifelong allies. Whatever that is, right here, right now, I thank you, for being a part of my life."

Eri paused as her eyes glistened and she lowered her head, "Thank you."

Thundering applause sounded. A few sniffs could be heard here and there.

There might not be another time such as this. For when the leaving girl lifted up her head, there was not one of them- not one- that did not smile at her. In that second, there was such unity that was never known to their young hearts. At that moment, after that very speech, something surged in those youngsters, filled them with a burning fire- a passion they knew noting of yet.

And maybe, just maybe... there could be a change in the future all together.

* * *

**Here it is, the fourteenth chapter!**

**I was so busy the past few weeks: family camps and all that, plus my final viola exam which I just finished two days ago... ^_^**

**So now it is time for Eri to leave. **

**I do not own Ouran; OCs and original scenes are mine. **

**A big thank you to all those who have reviewed, favourited, and followed this story!**

**~Lura.**

**PS: I really didn't know what to write for her parting speech... I just typed anything that came to my mind... hopefully, it made sense. **

**PS 2: And for your additional information, I've never been to Boston- nor Japan, for that matter, but I know Japanese well enough- or any other places in America... except when I was three but I seriously don't remember anything from that trip... how sad. And so, for anything that is going to come up that might seem different from the reality- especially to you Americans- please bear with me. **


	15. Chapter 15- New Life

Chapter 15- New Life

It had been twelve hours since she boarded the plane to the States. Twelve hours since she had left Japan. Fifteen hours since she left the Akino residence... alone.

Minori nii-san had not been able to see her off, and, though there was a small part of her that wished that she could see him one last time, a larger part of her was relieved that he wasn't there. She would have cried if he was. It was easier this way, for all of them. Parting wasn't as hard when there was no one to say goodbye to. It was what the Akinos always do: Her father leaving the country and she not knowing until he was gone; her mother hugging her goodbye the night before, leaving in the wee hours of the morning before anyone woke... She just followed suit. And now, she understood their twisted, but logical reasoning.

She glanced at her watch and sighed, mumbling-

"Three more hours..."

* * *

Pale blue eyes scanned the arrival hall with well-concealed anxiousness- the mask she detested her whole life was on again.

The new butler had said that he would be here to pick her up but...

"Eri-sama,"

She turned at the sound of her name and found herself staring into the respectful, yet kind eyes of an elderly man- "Yamaguchi-san?"

He bowed slightly, "We have been awaiting your arrival, Eri-sama. I'm your butler, Yamaguchi Kazuhito. Now, if you will follow me."

Eri followed her guide, hating the way everything was so stiff and formal again- not that everything wasn't as formal in Japan, it was just that- It was still different. Everything was. Just here in this airport, she had barely heard more than three conversation held in Japanese. Chinese, Korean, Philippines... All around her, conversations were held in languages she wasn't familiar. And all these wouldn't have bothered her if she had been merely on a trip, but no, she was going to stay here, in this foreign country for who-knew-how-many number of years... She truly hoped that she would survive.

Now Eri herself was actually quite fluent in more than just Japanese and English. Through the years, her father had required her to learn up another few languages such as German and Chinese. She knew it was all for the sake of business, so that one day she would be able to take over the Akino Corporation from him. But sometimes, she couldn't help but wonder if she really could do it. After all, how many times had her aunt said that she just wasn't 'cut-out' for it. Her father never listened; her mother was too far away to understand what was going on. It used to seem to her that her aunt was one of those sensible people left in the world. Yet-

She had passed away two years ago.

Her mother's fun-loving younger sister.

Blinking herself out of her reverie, she wondered what triggered it when she had almost- _almost_- forgotten that such a person existed. Or rather, a person whom she had forced herself to forget.

Maybe it was the sudden realisation of things...

Maybe, it was just the sudden dawning acknowledgement that Boston was where she died.

Eri made a mental note to visit her grave once she settled down...

* * *

The first day in Boston had been uneventful for Eri.

After taking her time to explore the new _lodging_, she couldn't help but question her father's definition of a "medium-sized mansion"... it was only _slightly_ smaller than their old mansion in Japan. Whatever the case, she wasn't complaining.

Staring at the clock on the counter, Eri did some mental calculations. She still had roughly about five hours before she had to go back to the airport again- Honey had called her up before the board the plane, saying-

_"But I want to meet you, Ri-chan! Come pick us up?"_

And...

She agreed.

Letting out a long, painful sigh, she turned to make her way to her new library.

_"That's why I always say that you're not meant for business, Eri-chan. You're too soft-hearted..."_

Eri blinked. Then smiled in sad fondness as the memories she had pushed aside in the airport came back full-force again with that phantom of a sentence.

It was one of her aunt's favourite things to say.

It had always been strange. How her aunt and her would hang out and talk about everything and nothing. Her aunt wasn't like anyone Eri had ever met in their society- so open, fun, and lively. Eri remembered how her mother used to chastise her sister for being a bad influence. Though... Eri knew their relationship was always strained. Her mother disliked her sister's bubbly attitude; her aunt disliked her mother's seriousness. The seven years age gap between them did not help either.

Her aunt used to be one of- if not only- guest in the Akino residence during Eri's childhood. But as Eri grew, the visits were less and less frequent, until they stopped completely when she was ten. After that, she just sort of forgot she even had an aunt- and then Minori came into her life and became a constant... Now that she thought of it, Minori used to join in their chats from time to time, despite him not being related to the slightest to her aunt.

Then news came that she was killed in a car crash in Boston.

She had been shocked- so shocked she found herself not being able to cry. During the memorial service, she hardly shed a tear...

And then life went on, everyone behaved as if nothing had happened.

It was too painful for her.

That's why she chose to forget- unconsciously.

Perhaps she had been a little too successful in forgetting- that even when her father mentioned that he would be sending her here to Boston failed to trigger the memory. But as soon as she landed, she knew, deep down inside, she knew, all her efforts had went down the drain.

...

"I'm not soft-hearted, aunt..."

...

"I'm weak..."

* * *

Somehow, when the host club arrived, she wasn't surprised at the crowd they had attracted.

Eri stood to the side as she watched the twins go into one of their acts, making all the younger girls around them squeal in delight.

Faintly she wondered why the security hadn't said anything yet, but on second thought, she heaved a sigh as she recalled their status in society. Of course. Who dared to say anything to offend them?

So she waited. Patiently waiting for them to get over the ordeal, which they didn't... Didn't, that was, until Kyoya finally had enough and smacked them both lightly on the back of their heads with his note book.

"Can't the two of you try to behave for five minutes?"

She heard the twins protest-

"But Kyoya-senpai, we had been doing that the whole trip," said one.

"-and it's getting boring," finished the other.

It was Honey who finally spotted the her- "Ri-chan! Ri-chan! You're here!"

Her lips twitched into a small smile as the other hosts heard his exclamations and began walking towards her. Honey was the first to reach her, and once he stopped in front of her, he gave her such a big grin that her smile widened involuntarily.

"How have you been, Ri-chan?"

"As fine as one could be the first day in another country," Eri replied, nodding her head in greeting at his stoic cousin.

"Say, Akino-senpai,"

"-are we-"

"-going to-"

"-Haruhi's apartment now?"

Eri turned to the twins, tilting her head slightly, "Isn't that where all of you are staying?" Kyoya _did_ tell her they were.

The twins smirked and chuckled evilly, "We can't wait to see how they would react seeing us here, especially Tamaki-senpai."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Are you sure you're not coming with us?"

Eri shook her head at Haruhi who had finally gotten over her shock. It had been entertaining and amusing scene, really, to see Haruhi slam the door back into their faces when she saw who was at the door; and then to see her reaction when they proceeded to walk into the apartment next door, all the while with the twins complaining about their room arrangement with Kyoya telling them to be content with what they got by drawing lots... All in all, it had been mood-lifting.

Time passed so swiftly after that that when they finally came back to their senses- except Eri, Kyoya, and Mori- it was already six-thirty in the evening.

So now the seven of them were getting ready to go out for a quick dinner, something 'commoner', according to Tamaki. Eri, however, had to go back to her mansion-

"I'm sorry, Haruhi-san, but I have to go back now."

"I guess it can't be helped then," the younger girl said with a resigned air, "Will you drop by soon?" she asked, "I could really use some 'normal' company, and I'm sure the rest of them would be glad to see you."

Eri smiled, "We'll see," she told the girl simply. It wasn't a promise, it wasn't a tone of rejection as well. Haruhi was satisfied with that. And-

"Akino-senpai, why didn't you tell me you are coming here too?"

"Because it's a surprise."

"...Not you too, senpai..."

Eri laughed.

For a second, her eyes caught Kyoya's dark ones across the corridor. She saw him bending his head to type something into his cellphone, and moments later, felt her own phone vibrate within her pocket.

'Call me when you reach home, Hayashi Mayu gave me something to pass on to you,'

She looked up at him and nodded once.

Just before she could put her phone back into her pocket, she felt it vibrate again-

'Thank you.'

And though she was puzzled, she merely gave him a small smile before turning her back on all of them and left for... home.

An unfamiliar home with cold walls, and zero memories...

She closed her tired eyes, her heart heavy with a weariness that wasn't there before.

Out of nowhere, she found herself wishing for her aunt to be here with her, to talk to her again with that upbeat tone again, to hear her teasing voice telling her mother to 'loosen up'...

...

The foreign air was really messing with her mind.

* * *

**And this, is all I could come out with for now. **

**As I have said on my profile, I'm frustratingly suffering from a writer's block... and not just on this story, on my Narnia fanfic too! *wails***

**I honestly have no idea where that aunt sprang up from... anyway, it'll work out in the end. *laughs weakly***

**I don't own Ouran; Eri and other OCs as well as the plot is mine.**

**Thanks to all those who reviewed and followed and favourited my story! This story has finally reached 100+ followers. Thank you!**

**PS: Here I have to apologise in advance if my updates aren't as often as I would've wished it to be- it's just that... I'm finally graduating! Hopefully in one and a half to two months time... the thing with homeschoolers, we can never seem to fix an exact date on when we're finished with our studies- or is it just me? Anyway, after suffering 150 books, I'm finally nearing the end of my high school life! ...then comes the problem with which university to go to, which course I'm going to take, where I'm going to stay and all that... I wish I didn't have to grow up... sigh.**


	16. Chapter 16- Of Blue and Forget-me-nots

Chapter 16- Of Blue and Forget-me-nots

Eri stared up at the ceiling of her new room with a dazedly vacant look in her eyes. In her hand was a letter- one which the Ootori had given her just an hour ago.

As she had promised, the first thing Eri had done right after she got home yesterday evening was to call the dark-haired classmate. She didn't know what she expected to hear from him, about Hayashi Mayu- but whatever it was, it certainly wasn't the news that their former classmate was now engaged and was going to get married as soon as she graduates from high school. The news of her engagement had just been announced the day Eri left, thus the reason Kyoya was the one to pass her the personal letter Mayu had wrote to her.

Eri had wondered why Mayu couldn't just send her a message through the mail, and, why Ootori Kyoya couldn't have just passed her the letter yesterday when she went to fetch them from the airport... but she supposed that the both of them had their own reasons.

_"Eri-sama, a young man named Ootori is here to see you,"_

_Eri glanced up at her new butler, "Thank you, Yamaguchi-san. Please let him in."_

_"As you wish, Eri-sama."_

_Wordlessly, Eri sighed, growing wary of the formality she was forced to put up with. And, she was sure, this would how life in America would be like from now on. She was drawn out of her thoughts when her door opened after a knock. Smiling up from where she sat on the floor beside one of her library shelves, sorting out her collection of books__, she said, "I see you've managed to find my house, Ootori-kun."_

_"It's not that hard to, though it's a little secluded." the Ootori replied, "Are you free to talk?"_

_Seeing his eyes on her task at hand, she waved, "I'm free, of course. I was just trying to rearrange these books back onto the shelves," in truth, she decided to do it herself because she didn't like the way the servants had done it. And if there was anything Eri could not tolerate, it was the fact that her book were not in a particular order- the way she wanted them to be._

_His eyes swept across her library once, approval glinting behind his lenses, "I see you've quite an extended collection."_

_She gave him a small smile, "Feel free to take a few back with you if you find them interesting."_

_"I'll take you up on that offer." He said, with a faint uplift of his lips. Walking over, he too sat down on the carpeted floor, with on of his knees bended and the other straight as he rested his back against the wall. Out of nowhere, he was reminded of that time when he went to look for her in the Ouran library, where he had sat some distance beside her while she read, totally unaware of the fact that he was there._

_He sat in silence as he watched her sort out her books, piles growing around her like a circle. For a few moments, the only sounds that could be heard were the gentle thumping sound of books piled on top of each other and the sound of their breathing. Finally, Kyoya pulled out a letter from his folder and handed it to Eri, "As I've told you yesterday, Hayashi-san gave this letter to me to pass it to you."_

_Eri stopped what she was doing and accepted the letter, tearing it open to read-_

_'Akino-san, as you must've heard, I'm engaged. After we had come back from our trip, daddy's company was suddenly collapsing. There and then a family offered to help us, in return, they wanted to join our businesses together... You know what happened after that. At first daddy did not want to, but there was no choice. It's either me marrying the Kadokura's heir or the closing down of our business- I couldn't let that happen. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, Akino-san. With this letter I enclosed with it a wedding invitation. Please do come if you're free. Yours truly, Hayashi Mayu.'_

_She set down the letter and blinked. _

_"Kadokura..."_

_Her mind gears went into an overdrive as she tried to process the news. _

_The Kadokuras..._

_She took the wedding invitation and flipped it open-_

_Kadokura Jun._

_Her heart sank when her __suspicion was confirmed. There was no way she could attend the wedding, no matter how much she felt like going. Not when the Kadokuras were the very people who betrayed her father once. There was no way she could forget the day when her father lost his composure and raised his voice in rage. There was no way she could forget how her father disappeared out of view for the following few days, locking himself in his office in frenzy, trying, and thankfully succeeding, in recovering the losses the Akino Corporation had suffered from the betrayal. And there was no way, that she could forget the names of the people who caused her home so much trouble. _

_No way._

_And in the end, family honour ranked top in the priority list again. Eri smiled a bitter, yet forlorn smile. _

_"Did you receive an invitation as well, Ootori-kun?" she asked in a soft whisper._

_Kyoya adjusted his glasses, "I did."_

_She stared at him, her eyes seeking and searching for something the both of them did not know, "Will you be going?"_

_"I find it unnecessary for me to attend a meeting that would bring me no benefit. But as the Hayashis and Kadokuras had sent an invitation to my family as well, father would most probably send a representative just to keep up with our reputation," he told her in his usual nonchalant tone he always used when talking about things that he couldn't bother with. _

_"I see," Eri lowered her eyes and let out a sigh, "I'm not going too."_

_"I know."_

_"...How?"_

_"The act they did years ago made quite a news in our world. What they had done was labeled as either courage or stupidity- and I personally think it's the latter," What he really meant was that while the Ootoris did not have any business relations with the Akinos, they would not want to oppose them either. But now... the bespectacled young man wasn't so sure. Which led him to his next topic-_

_"And speaking of my father, he told me that he wished for me to remain here for my further studies instead of going back to Japan with the others."_

_She was surprised, and she showed it, "You're staying?"_

_He hummed, "And I most probably will be going to Harvard too, based on what I could sense from my father's message."  
_

_"Then why continue High School?" asked Eri. Personally she wanted to actually finish her high school before she proceeded to university but she had no choice. _

_"The decision was sudden, and though I would be attending high school for now, I don't think I will be there for more than two months." _

_There was a long pause before he stood up, "I suppose I should get going," _

_Eri got up along with him without a sound. _

_Walking with him to the front door, she let a small curve surface on her lips-_

_And just like the time they were on the rooftop during the masquerade ball, she said-_

_"I'm glad."_

_And again, just like that time- yet a little different somehow, he raised his hand and touched his fingers gently against her cheek, "I hope you are," and then brushing his thumb across her brows, he leaned down a little and for a second, rested his forehead against hers. Then he straightened himself. And left._

* * *

"I'm going out now, Yamaguchi-san. I'll be back before the sun sets,"

Eri announced after her restlessness finally got the better of her. Then again, she couldn't deny the efficiency the new butler had when she saw a limo already parked up front, all ready for her.

Yamaguchi Kazuhito bowed low as he sent her out, "Have a nice day and a safe trip, Eri-sama."

Eri got into the limo and told the driver, "To a florist please."

Sinking back into the seat, her eyes automatically closed and a long, heavy breath left her lips. This trip wasn't planned. It was on a sudden whim that she had decided to visit her aunt's grave.

She had meant to go there once she settled down but now seemed to be a right time. After the news and everything that had happened in only a few short days, she just had an urge to leave, go somewhere where she could find a moment of peace- away from the world, away from reality. And the only place that came out was the burial place of the person which amounted to the previous words to a younger Eri when she was alive.

Aunt Ayuka was the one who brought her away from the world, who brought her to a place far away from reality- only to another reality where she should have existed if she was born into a different family.

Getting out of the limo when they arrived at the florist, the first thing that caught her eyes was the bunch of forget-me-nots in the corner. It seemed like the most appropriate flower to get... she was, after all, going there to remember her. And also... they were her aunt's favourite.

_"Do you know, Eri-chan, that a forget-me-not means 'memories'?"_

_"They do?"_

_"They're my favourite flowers."_

_"Because they mean 'memories'? What do you want to remember, Ayuka obaa-san?"_

_Her aunt had laughed and tickled her, "You of course, silly Eri. But that isn't the true reason why I like them."_

_"Then what?" the little girl had demanded._

_"It's because... they're blue."_

_Young Eri blinked-_

_"That's the reason?"_

_With a wide grin, her youthful aunt laughed-_

_"Yes. That's the reason."_

Smiling fondly as she felt the silky petals under her fingers, Eri wondered if the forgotten memory had sprung up out of nowhere because of the bouquet she held in her hands.

"We're here, Eri-sama."

"Thank you for driving me here. Please rest somewhere and come back to pick me up when I call you."

"As you wish, Eri-sama."

Strolling along the well kept path leading to the cemetery, Eri found herself sinking deeper and deeper into her memories of her time together with Hisegawa Ayuka: Their first meeting and how the young woman had exclaimed at the sight of her, "She's so _cute!_ Onee-chan, you're so blessed to have a daughter like that!"; their first encounter and talk one day when Eri found herself alone in the house with an upbeat and 'strange' aunt; their first outing which her aunt had brought her to a park- a simple park, but it was enough for Eri to feel happy; their first time celebrating Eri's birthday together...

Her steps came to a halt as she stopped in front of a white, marble headstone. She bent down to her knees and traced her aunt's name which was carved into the stone in golden letters.

'Here lies Hisegawa Ayuka, a beloved daughter, sister, aunt, and a friend to all. 19XX~20XX'

Unbinding the flowers, she began decorating the grave, instead of simply putting them down like the others. Soon, Hisegawa Ayuka's resting place was filled with those delicate blue flowers she had loved so much. If she was watching, Eri was sure, her aunt would be smiling down at her. And perhaps, she would be whispering to her-

"Keep your spirits up, Eri-chan. Everything will be alright soon."

For a moment, Eri lifted her head and gazed up at the skies through the thick tree leaves that sheltered her.

And she smiled-

"I'll do my best, even if it's going to be hard. This much I'm promising you, Ayuka obaa-san."

* * *

**Finally... the 16th chapter! *sobs in happiness***

**This chapter is basically two _little _scenes with Kyoya and Eri's aunt. I think this is something like a break between all the things that had been going on. And then there's the news that Kyoya is staying... Ah, that I didn't plan for. Initially, I was thinking of letting him go back to Japan and come back later as a surprise for her but well... it turned out like this *shrugs* ^_^**

**I find myself really liking Eri's aunt though. She truly seems like a ****wonderful person to me... (even though she's my OC)**

**A 'thank you' to all my readers for putting up with me and my irregular updates. I hope that I didn't disappoint anyone. **

**I want to thank also those who reviewed, favourited, and followed this story. And just to tell you: This story isn't anywhere near the end yet. More dramas- or so-called 'dramas'- will be coming up. (And if you know me and my style, I hardly think that my dramas are not actual, real, cheesy 'dramas'... or maybe they are?)**

**Anyway, I don't own Ouran; only my plot, OCs, and whatever that did not happen in the original anime and manga.**

**~Lura. **


	17. Chapter 17- Don't Worry

Chapter 17- Don't Worry

"Ri-chan! Ri-chan! Let's go to school together!"

Eri froze for a second by the door and looked up to see a certain golden-haired senior and his stoic cousin standing by a limo that she was sure wasn't hers. The cheerful teen was there, his pink rabbit in his arms and he was using one of its paws to wave at her. She blinked:

"Senpai, why are you here?"

Honey bounced up the steps and grabbed her hand in his surprisingly big ones, pulling her along with him without asking her consent- not that she would say 'no'- "We're going to be university-mates from today onwards, right? I asked Kyo-chan for your address yesterday and he gave it to me. Isn't it better to go to a new place with someone you know?" And his accompanying grin was so bright that Eri found herself smiling along with him._  
_

"Good morning, Morinozuka-senpai."

The dark-haired youth gave her a nod in reply as he pulled open the passenger seat's door, "Good morning," he told her and placed a gentle hand on her head for a moment before retreating it.

There was not one single dull moment on the way to Harvard. Honey sat beside Eri while Mori sat in the seat opposite them. The blithe senior talked a mile a minute, filling the girl with his stories and tales of his elementary, middle, and high school days- those fun and often childish stories everyone loved to hear no matter how old he or she grew. He never went deeper than that and Eri knew the reason.

As she listened to the cheerful upbeat voice, Eri couldn't help but began to wonder at how far she had come... from Japan to America, from Ouran to Harvard, from being a sort of 'loner' to someone who had actually found friends... She remembered the first time Honey and Mori senpai 'cornered' her in the host club one day, remembering the tenseness she felt; she remembered the worry she saw in Honey's eyes when she shut herself off from the world; she remembered his seemingly innocent, yet purposeful inclusion of her into conversations from time to time... And Eri suddenly realised that Honey as well as his cousin were no longer simply friends. Somehow or the other, they had become someone she could go to when she had no where else to go. Even Morinozuka senpai... he never did talk much, an occasional nod here and there, a word or two of greeting now and then... yet those small gestures, those small glances... they were easily ignored yet when she really thought about it, they suddenly meant so much.

With a small smile, she continued listening to Honey's ramblings with a slight tilt of her head.

She failed to notice the change in Honey's smile. Bright as ever, yet behind them, held a gentler tone, a sort of tenderness that was well-concealed.

...

Were they fools? Perhaps they were, to be aware of their crumbling barriers yet not doing anything to repair it. But perhaps, this trust was something they would not regret... Who knows?

This too, just like that time with Haruhi's identity, was a risk they were willing to take.

A risk that might destroy them... or make them stronger than ever in the days ahead.

Who knows?

* * *

"Senpai, I haven't had the chance to ask before but what are you majoring in?"

Honey blinked, "I never told you? I decided to do Asian Cultural Studies," he said, then pointed to Mori, "And Takashi is doing Asian Literature."

Eri nodded with a wistful look in her pale blue eyes as she got out from the limo, "Will we meet again later today?" she asked them softly.

"Of course we will, Ri-chan! I'll call you once my class is over and we'll eat lunch together, right, Takashi?"

"Yes."

Honey turned back to look at the younger girl and smiled at her, "That's why, Ri-chan, keep smiling," he told her, "Ri-chan looks really pretty when you smile," which was a rare sight unless she was around the other hosts or people she knew- the smile Honey meant was not the mere uplifting of her lips but her genuine smile. The one she slowly started to gain through the months, being together with Kyoya, Haruhi, and the rest of them...

"...Thank you, Honey-senpai."

When she spoke those words, her face was lit up by the truest smile she had shown.

So what if she was forced to do something she did not want to do, so what if she had to live with what she disliked?

One step at a time... Wasn't this what aunt Ayuka used to say?

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Hello, Minori nii-san?"

"It's good to hear your voice, Eri," said the person on the other side of the line, "So how was your first day? Is everything well?"

Eri hugged her knees close to her chest as she cuddled herself into a ball into the rocking chair in her library. Her chin was resting on her bended knees, her eyes fixed upon the silver moon through the window- "Everything is fine, nii-san. Haninozuka senpai and Morinozuka senpai were with me."

True to his word, Honey had called her at twelve o'clock sharp and the three of them had met up in the cafeteria. It _was_ better to go to a new place with someone she knew... it wasn't as scary or lonely. Though her classes were filled with strangers, though she was being thrown into a place of a different culture, just the mere assurance that she would see someone she knew in two hours time was enough for her to persevere through. After all, no matter how matured all of them could act, they were still teens, young people who had not even reached adulthood.

"I see. How's classes then?"

Eri looked down for a moment. When her reply came, it was soft and toneless, "Classes were fine."

Fine as in 'I can cope with it and nothing more'.

She had relented. She had decided that she would not complain anymore. She would do her best no matter her likes or dislikes and she _will_ excel.

"...Minori nii-san?"

"Yes, Eri?"

Eri hesitated, "Hayashi Mayu sent me an invitation to her wedding."

Minori was silent for a minute. Quiet breathing was the only thing that was heard through the phone. Finally he said, "The wedding between the Hayashis and the Kadokuras?" he asked though he knew the answer.

"...Yes."

A heavy sigh came through the receiver, "Eri, the Kadokuras are-"

"I know, Minori nii-san. I know." Eri interrupted him softly, "I'm not going to the wedding."

"...Do you want to go?"

"...Does it matter?"

No.

It didn't.

"Nii-san?" Eri called him again, "I went to aunt Ayuka's grave last week."

As Eri began to retell her visit, Minori kept silent, listening intently to her lowered voice. It was something that only Minori knew, the fact that Eri was a great story-teller. She did not do it often, if ever. But when she did, she formed vivd pictures with her words- however few they were- and mental images. She had a way of putting her thoughts down that drew the listeners in, to make them see things from her point of view. Minori only knew this when he overheard her and Hisegawa Ayuka exchange stories one day when he was visiting the Akino manor.

"-How have you been, nii-san? Are you getting enough rest? How is everyone else?"

Back in Japan, Minori's lips curved into a slight smile, "We're fine. Your father is currently in Austria and your mother will be coming back to Japan one month from today for a short break."

"Mother's going back? For how long?"

Minori hummed, "She said about four days, then she's starting a four-month tour in Asia."

"Four days," Eri repeated, "Isn't that tiring?"

"You know how everything is, Eri. We can't afford to rest all the time."

"... I understand. Take care, nii-san, I'll call you again."

"Take care. Good night, Eri."

She hung up the phone, continuing to stare up at the clear night sky and sighed.

* * *

Days turned into weeks, then months. Before they knew it, three months had come and gone pass. Other than the fact that Kyoya was now going to Harvard as well, majoring in Hospital Management and minoring in Business Management also, everything remained the same.

Or maybe not everything.

"Ootori-kun, what are you doing here?"

Eri glanced up to look at the intruder that had taken a seat on the opposite side of her. It was two o'clock in the afternoon and she had made a habit of studying in the school library. For a book-lover such as her, Harvard's library with its extensive book collection of a vast collection of genres was more than enough.

Ootori Kyoya looked up from his notebook, "Can't I be here?"

Her eyes narrowed a fraction before letting a resigned smile surface, "You're right, you _can_ be here. Then, _why_ are you here?"

He readjusted his glasses, his dark eyes meeting hers, "I'm going to Spain for three days next week, starting on Thanksgiving and through the weekend. My father has called me there, saying that there is someone he wants me to meet."

Eri closed her books and pushed them aside, "May I ask who?"

"She's someone meant to be my brother's fiancé," said he, "And as a result, the others will be coming along," he paused, "Do you want to come along, Akino?" finally asking the question, he proceeded to wait for her answer.

Eri blinked once. Then twice.

With a hand under her chin, she began mentally calculating the time...

Spain? That was one of the places she had never gone before.

Turning her attention back to her dark-haired once again school-mate, her eyes glinted with a rare touch of mischief, "Are you inviting me, Ootori?"

"Of course I am. Though, my father mentioned that he wished to meet you too."

She froze-

"What?" Why?

"He failed to tell me the reason but I'm suspecting it had something to do with the new partnership our family now has."

-which indirectly meant that Akino Hiroto was most probably involved as well.

"...Then it wouldn't do any good for me to decline, right?" she said rhetorically as her temples began throbbing, "I'll go."

Soundlessly, the Ootori got up from his seat and walked towards her. The library was quite empty at this hour and he wasn't worried of being seen. Reaching out a hand, he brushed it against her temples, as if he knew the starting discomfort. Using the gentles force, he guided her to himself- with her sitting down, her head merely reached the the bottom of his chest. He held her like that for a long while, simply holding her close. Words were not needed. And, just like with Honey three months ago, she understood his unspoken message.

Slowly reaching up, she grabbed onto his white shirt, in the manner of that a young child.

How could she not understand?

All these people- Haninozuka Mitsukuni, Morinozuka Takashi, and now Ootori Kyoya...

What had she ever done to deserve them?

In a world like theirs, finding just one friend was hard enough. Yet without her even trying, she had gained three.

Ouran's Host Club... was really a good place. Wasn't it?

She was thankful.

Really thankful.

* * *

**And this, is the 17th chapter! ^_^**

**I hope you enjoyed the little bonding between Eri and the three of them. It was so peaceful to write these scenes and I truly enjoyed them. **

**The unspoken message is the chapter title: Don't worry.**

**It's sweet, isn't it? I really do hope that I'll meet friends like that one day. And I hope that I'll be a friend like that in turn for others too... **

**I do not own Ouran; Eri and the other OCs, unrecognisable plots and everything else is mine.**

**I also want to thank all those who reviewed, favourited, and followed this story. All of you have been my greatest motivation! **

**PS: The Spain trip is from the final book of the manga. **

**PS 2: Please bear in mind that everything about Harvard is entirely fictional... I've never been there after all (And don't think that I ever will XD)**

**Till next time,**

**~Lura ^_^**


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